


Before the dawn

by FiveRaysOfSun



Category: NU'EST
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst with a Happy Ending, Heavy Angst, M/M, Minor Character Death, One-Sided Attraction, Slow Burn, Survivor Guilt, Tragedy, it feels like im describing a nu'est w music video with the tags, minbaek, other minor characters from other pledis groups
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-16
Updated: 2018-12-16
Packaged: 2019-09-19 21:40:31
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 71,402
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17009709
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FiveRaysOfSun/pseuds/FiveRaysOfSun
Summary: Dongho asks the popular guy Minhyun to help introduce him to the girl of his dreams, however the man ends up falling for him instead. Once Minhyun realizes that what he feels for Dongho could never be mutual, his fake happy façade begins to break, and the ghosts of his past force him to reveal the true and ugly side of himself to the other. Minhyun is miserable and Dongho becomes unable to leave.





	Before the dawn

**Author's Note:**

> !!!make sure to read the tags carefully before reading or i WILL break into ur house to put holes in each and every one of ur socks (just kidding)
> 
> i always wanted to try writing something much darker, if you could call it that, with more complex character traits while still trying to keep them as in character as possible  
> i realize ive applied a lot of my own unhealhty and negative parts of my personality or experiences to the characters, so to friends reading this,, welcome ladies
> 
> i tried to make everything to sound as proper as possible, but it does get weird at parts, so i really apologize beforehand!!!!
> 
> also my proof-reader has ran off with my beautiful lovely wife so im sry about all the typos

A glass filled of some opaque liquid that had been sitting right under the mans nose felt like it was starting to float and even double in his vision overtime. Distant laughter sounded much further away from Dongho than they actually were all drowned out by the thumping sound of the club music that had been drilling his ears.

He sat alone in the corner of a dimly lit room of a populated bar, trying not to feel miserable by being out here already. The flashing lights and the movement of bodies colliding with one another in each and every direction around him made his head spin, and stomach grumble.

Dongho had no clue why he had even agreed to come out to a party hosted by his co-workers when he had known it would end up like this, he hated parties. 

Suddenly his droopy eyes had darted from his sad glass to a certain person behind all that annoying moving crowd. He could hear her pretty voice from miles away. The time seemed to slow down while he only fixated his eyes at that woman from afar, a small shy smile creeping on his lips.

At the other side of the room sat Nayoung with her friends, the prettiest girl Dongho had ever laid his eyes on. It was her birthday today, so naturally everyone from their work had been dragged out to a pub that day to celebrate it.

This was probably the fourth surprise cake that someone had bought to her today, but she looked just as full of excitement as if it ware the only cake there was. Her became face illuminated by the low yellow shine of the tiny candles sitting on top of the sweet treat. She was ecstatic and Dongho was too, even if he wasn’t actually there with her in person.

From where the man sat, she seemed so far away, so absolutely unreachable for someone as lame and dull as Dongho, or at least that is how he saw it.

She made a wish and soon the small light turned to dust and smoke, another round of claps from her side of the room made the whole party stop to join in on the clap as well. Dongho was too awkward to, he didn’t want to stand out too much by making such noise.

The next second someone had put a finger covered in whipped cream of the cake to her face, she began to laugh and squeal in protest. Dongho lowered his eyes back to his glass, wondering about what could have possibly been her wish. The sulking man then made his own, downing the rest of his shot glass in one go.

Dongho didn’t even know how to approach her, he was usually outgoing and easy to befriend, but when it came down to that very girl in the crowd, his heart shook. He could not talk, move or even breathe before her in fear he would do something to lose his chance.

That whole night Nayoung was always surrounded by her friends at the party, given that she was the birthday girl of course, yet many of them were tall and handsome boys with one of those pretty smiles. Dongho felt like he was nothing compared to them, and she would never feel a thing for someone like him.

The miserable man had gotten too tired of moping about himself, and had gone to the bathroom. He was not bothered to enter a concealed stall and just settled use a urinal instead, unbuckling to the empty room as is.

Dongho had not stood there for long, before the door behind him opened, letting the horrible pop music flood inside the small room, before shutting off again the next second. He paid no attention to the newcomer, until the stranger decided to stand directly next to him and use the urinal closest to him.

Normally Dongho tried not to display much of his agitation, but the drinks had gotten him loosened up enough to have it shown on his face. Seriously, what was this jerk thinking standing hip by hip with him and tapping his damn foot, when there were still great stalls right behind them. Dongho threw the man a mean glance, looking up and down on the strangers shoulder.

This prick was tall, standing all straight and smug like he hadn’t even noticed Dongho standing there at all. The shorter guy needed some time to realize who this guy was, he barely knew him, but he had at least met him somewhere before at the office. Only after the guy was already long done, Dongho had finally remembered the jerks name, Hwang Minhyun.

The tall male looked back as well, right before exiting the bathroom, finally registering the other man, “Oh, Kang!” Minhyun smiled wide like he was happy to see a long lost friend.

“Yeah.” Dongho nodded back in response to make the greeting mutual, while busy to close back up his pants. The tall man nodded once again and headed out, leaving the dizzy male behind.

Drunken Dongho managed to stumble his way out of the bathroom on his own. A small hallway lead back into the main room where all of that muffled music was coming from. As he headed back there, his body had frozen still before he could even fully process why.

Nayoung stood far in the hallway, her back pressed to a wall while she was too focused on her phone, probably out here while trying to find some place less loud to make a call. 

The veins in Donghos body began to throb, and red flushed to his face as he made his steps towards her. He didn’t know if it was sudden bravery caused by the alcohol or if it was just the rush of adrenaline in his body, but he was doing it, he was going to approach her.

Just as he was mere meters away from her, she suddenly slid her shoulder to the wall turning around, eyes still peeled to her phone. Dongho hesitated, all of his anxiety had now come back. He had lost his train of thought, and had no clue what to do after she had moved away.

He opened his mouth to gain her attention from behind, but his jaw just hanged empty in the wind. Another male, way more posh and clean shaven than him had come to lead her away. Dongho flickered his sights to the hand of the man, placed on her shoulder in a friendly manner, but it seemed off. To Dongho it felt like competition, one that he couldn’t beat even if he tried. 

Dongho sulked in his shoulders and decided he might as well go for more drinks, soon to find himself drunk beyond repair that same night. 

He sat on a club couch all by himself, abandoned by his friends from work. The male was exhausted, his neck bent far back in a crooked and painful position, it was evident he would not be able to get back home by himself. Dongho did not even have the power to raise from the seat anymore, let alone to even move his chin, getting the phone out of his pocket to call a cab seemed like such a complex task by now, that he had completely given up.

As the initial party had wrapped up, only a dozen of people were still present at the club, all drowsy, and too tired to return to the dance floor. Dongho was subjected to hear their flirting in the distance as the music had gone away too, so now he wished he could have it back.

“Yo, you okay?” A worried voice had came right from where the ceiling lamp shined bright above him, Donghos eyes burned like hell trying to recognize his helper.

“I was told nobody had seen you leave the club with them, so I came back to check up on you.” The voice worried. “Came back – for me?” Dongho spoke in a drunken whine.

“No way I could leave, I’m too wasted.” Dongho chuckled. He had only moved his head a little bit, but it already felt like a full carousel spin.

“Do I need to call some one?” The kind male voice sat beside him, so now Dongho could see him more clearly.

“Hwang?” He asked for confirmation, one of his eyes still glued shut. “That would be me.” The man replied, happy that Dongho didn’t have all of his lights completely knocked out yet.

“Fuck, I think I am gonna puke soon.” Dongho began to dangerously choke away from the lap of the tall man, Minhyun ran to him like fire, holding an arm to his back. 

“I’ll lead you to the bathroom.” He panicked, picking his colleague up by the arm over his shoulder, “Come on, up you go big guy.”

 

Back in there, Minhyun would drew calm circles over the spine of the other male, both of them sitting to the bathroom floor that was very likely less than clean. Hwang felt so bad for the poor male, almost choking up his whole stomach from that night, slobbering on pretty much all of the liquid he had in his body.

“Feeling better now?” Minhyun asked only after Dongho had stopped struggling for the most part.

“Ah, why are you still here, you silly prick?” Dongho cursed, obviously he was starting to blank out. “I am helping you!” Minhyun jolted like he had been wrongfully accused of something.

“How much did you drink?” Minhyun followed Donghos face even when it went right back to expelling more spit into the toilet bowl below his chin. Not afraid to get himself dirty.

“I don’t know, so stop bothering me.” The male whined, shooing Minhyun away from him like he was a pest, almost toppling himself in the process.

“You don’t know?” Minhyun repeated to himself, “Do you need me to take you home?” The male was met with a load of silence, and judging by the face of the drunk man, he just wasn’t there anymore.

Because of a bad personal habit, Hwang was pretty familiar with getting himself wasted to this same point, and he knew very well how scary it felt to be drunk and alone with no way of getting home. There was no way of him leaving this guy out here for vultures to pluck him apart.

Minhyun had no choice, but to carry the large man to his car and try to figure out his address somehow. It was past midnight, surely nobody else would rush to save Kang at this point. 

When the two made it to Hwangs car, Dongho was carefully strapped in the front seat, so in case if he started choking on his spit again, the tallest could pull over and help him in time.

Dongho woke up after a brief period when they were already on the road. Headlights of the passing highway cars shining into his eyes that had become sensitive to bright light. 

His first thought waking up was to sulk over that woman he could still not confess to tonight either, and the second thought was about how much of a loser he would always be because of it. He had fallen so deep for a girl that did not even know he exists, other than by looking at the nametag on his shirt he wore at work. 

He glanced to his driver, that guy probably saw him as pathetic too, so he shrugged. Minhyun, that bastard was always surrounded by women at work, everyone knew he was a total womanizer. The charming prince Minhyun, who could make any girl fall for him in seconds, that’s what they called him. Even this dude was already good friends with Nayoung from what Kang had heard.

The guy was the exact opposite of Dongho, and the short male wanted to be more him, to have his looks and confidence. Everything about him made the drunk man envious.

“Hwang, you—” Dongho mumbled something out loud, his driver barely found it coherent. “What is it?” Minhyun kept his eyes on the wheel.

“You’re good with women right?” The mans words made Hwang laugh, “Is that what all of this is about?” The tall male gave him a teasing stare of judgement, figuring that was perhaps why Dongho had decided to get so drunk by himself in the first place.

“Depends.” Minhyun looked back at the road ahead, still snickering. It pissed Dongho off, but he kind of needed the dude right now, he felt that this mans advice was his last resort.

“I want to ask her out, but she doesn’t even know me. She is way out of my league for me to even approach her.” Dongho spoke in such a sad broken voice it made Minhyun again turn from the wheel, “But then again so are most women.”

Minhyun pretended to think, before joking, “Try going for men then?” Dongho waved his drunken hand around in the car, “Nah, I don’t swing that way.”

The tall male kept driving without saying anything, but the silence lasted for only a single street, until words of advice suddenly came flooding out, “You lack confidence. Just believe in yourself.” Minhyun spoke in a cheerful way, but it did nothing to help.

“Easy to say for yourself, when I don’t have a face like yours.” Dongho grunt.

“What does that have to do with anything?” Minhyun failed to connect the dots, it wasn’t even like the guy had a face only a mother could love either to be talking about himself this way.

“You just have to build up courage, know your way to talk to people and everything else will fall into the right place at the right time, trust me.” Minhyun promised his colleague, who was still unwilling to listen to such absolute nonsense.

There was a pause at the end of Minhyuns sentence, he expected a reply, but it didn’t arrive till much later. “Teach me to be like you.” Dongho spoke, “I like the way you think.”

Minhyun worried his brittle eyebrows together, “Teach you, you mean coach you on how to ask someone out?”

Dongho felt enough of the fool to approve of such idea, “I mean, not just that. Teach me how do I impress someone, anything that will make her stay.”

Minhyun felt pity hearing Dongho talk at this point, but luckily the road to his house was getting shorter. He turned the wheel past the last light of the traffic into a secluded apartment area and began to slow while counting the labeled numbers on the building walls.

 

Minhyun carried the sweaty drunk with his arm across his shoulder all the way up to his doorstep. Dongho couldn’t even walk up the steps by himself and allegedly lived alone, he had mentioned moving out here just recently. 

Once they had made it, Minhyun was scared to leave him like this now, fearing Dongho would just choke on vomit in his sleep and Hwang would become responsible.

“What is your door code?” Minhyun tried to hold the man from falling backwards like a log, it was impossible for him to enter the code himself.

“Twelve.. zero, three..” Dongho dozed off before finishing. The door beeped in rejection. “What are the rest of the numbers? Hey, wake up punk.” The tallest complained.

Dongho bounced awake for a second again, chewing the bitter acid taste still stuck to the walls of his mouth, “Huh? Oh, must be fifteen.”

The door beeped and unlocked, Minhyun began to pull him inside. “Yeah, definitely fifteen.” The guy kept mumbling, unaware that they were already inside.

Minhyun carried him all the way to the bedroom and let go of the other man in his bed flat. Dongho laid on his back, head thrown to his side like he had been shot dead.

The tall man sighed in relief, looking down at the wasted body that had been so hard for him to carry till now. Then suddenly his eyes flickered with light, as if a flame had ignited in them.

Minhyun became fixed on the pit of Donghos neck, glistening in a thick layer of sweat, the top few buttons of his shirt torn open for a wide view. Donghos tattooed chest was raising and falling in slow waves, and his still wet mouth putting out low tortured whimpers under his breath.

Minhyun told himself not to look, but he barely couldn’t help it when Dongho was laid out all pretty like that. 

The tall male snatched his eyes away from the picture, setting his mind back straight. He removed the mans shoes alone and covered him with a small blanket. Then Minhyun would go wander off around Donghos small apartment, looking to wash his hands and prepare a glass of water for the other man for when he wakes up before leaving.

“Yo, Hwang.” Donghos head propped itself up from the pillow just as the tall male had placed the water for him. “Yeah?” Minhyun expected some kind of a heartfelt request.

“Just don’t steal my stuff before you go.” Dongho lifted his weak, tiny pointer finger to put his helper in the spot of a potential suspect. The tall male laughed, agreeing to such terms somewhat easily.

 

A good weekend had passed, and now it was Monday already, the start of another exhausting working week. The office elevator doors slowly drew open, revealing the sour face of Dongho, holding his next cup of coffee in his hand.

The returned from lunch to his desk and repeat his routine, only few more hours and then he would be free, he convinced himself, however just the thought of going back to comparing those sheets of data was dreadful.

Dongho had been so invested in hating his own job at the moment that he failed to realize another body almost colliding with his own, walking in the hallway.

“Woah, Hwang. I keep running into you all over the place.” Dongho sounded interested to see the guy, but he actually wasn’t. He didn’t remember too much of what had happened on last Friday, apart from the fact Minhyun had bought him home.

The words of thanks were already forming on Donghos lips, but the other guy purposely cut in with something more important he had to say.

“Well now its me running into you,” Minhyuns hand secured the cup in Donghos hand which he had almost poured out. “On purpose.” He grinned.

“Huh, really now?” Dongho raised his brow.

“You know what, silly thing, my car broke down right after I took you home that night.” Minhyun anxiously arched his elbow up, itching on the back of his lowered neck. For some reason Dongho felt that his story didn’t sound very genuine, but he didn’t bother to question it.

Minhyun continued, “I take a bus in the morning, but they are kind of harder to catch at night time.” Dongho blinked once, twice, but he still had no clue what Minhyun was about to imply by telling him all of this.

“Soo, I was thinking,” Minhyun confessed, “I suppose you do owe me a ride home from now on?” The guy forced himself to smile knowing that such offer would not at all entice the unwilling male before him, he could very well read it on that mean face.

Almost comically Dongho looked around and behind himself before asking, “Why? Don’t the other women from your department always offer to give you a lift home anyway?”

When the guy sighed so hard, against his wishes, Dongho could feel it breeze down his face, “Yeah, that’s the problem! But they only want to bring me to their own houses instead of my own.” Minhyun complained like it was the most annoying thing in the world for him. 

Women actually hitting on him and making advances, oh boy, surely the single man Dongho could not imagine living in his shoes for a day. The shortest looked to the ground to snicker, “No need to brag, alright?”

“So, what do you say? This one time at least?” Minhyun fluttered his pretty eyelashes, bending in his knees to meet the height of the other male.

Although Dongho knew it would definitely not be just one time deal, he still figured he might as well give in at this point, after all Minhyun had saved him from dying of alcohol poisoning back at that birthday party. But right as he was about to voice his approval, Minhyun chimed in another thing.

“I can also tell you a thing or two about getting yourself in the game, so what do ya’ say?” Minhyun spoke in a teasing, childish tone.

“Ah, that.” Dongho now remembered his drunken emotional outburst on Hwangs shoulder that night, “I wasn’t actually being serious about that.”

“But of course you where!” The tall prick insisted, “How could you let this once of a life time chance of getting my premium advice pass?” Minhyun pointed his thumb back at himself, even going as far to make a proud pose.

“Seriously?” Dongho asked him a genuine question. “Yeah!” Minhyun shot back.

Dongho wasn’t sure what he’d even get out of this guy, aside from perhaps a few cheesy pick up lines that no women under the age of seventy would even find charming. But he did know about Nayoung, he was close with her too, meaning that he could get this schmuck to introduce her to him. So maybe this offer wasn’t so bad at all.

Dongho grunt, “Don’t dare tell the others about this, or I’ll drive you home by stuffing you into the trunk.”

“Our little secret!” Minhyun cheered, so happy he could hug the little man, if only not for that vicious growl stuck on his face.

 

Minhyun rushed out of the office late, his mouth hidden deep underneath a thick scarf, his freezing hands had been stuffed away into his own pockets. He looked around the parking lot, trying to find his new driver.

“Hey Hwang, over here!” Dongho posed by his car, pretending like he wasn’t expecting to see Hwang arrive at all. The guy stood in front of a black scary looking jeep, that was high enough he’d need to hop to put his leg in. However, it that looked way more spacious on the outside than it did from the inside.

Minhyun fit himself in the passengers seat, barely able to fit his own bag in his lap, he copied Dongho to reach for the seatbelt just as he did. “It’s not as roomy as I had thought.” He comment.

“Well, you get what you ask for,” Dongho strapped himself in and ready to take off, “I like it though.”

Why did it not surprise Minhyun that Dongho would be driving a massive, tractor-like jeep around the city, at least it did suit him. The guy actually looked kind of cool in front of the wide vintage wheel steering out of the drive way.

The car ride became awfully quiet for a while, but Dongho knew it wasn’t for long considering the talkative nature of Hwang that he had already observed thus far. Small drops of sweat started to gather under his fringe in worry the bastard would bring up that confession thing again. If only Dongho had not been so miserably drunk that night, he would have never told anyone, let alone this random dude.

“So—” Minhyun puckered his lips in anticipation for something to be said by his silent driver. “What’s up?” Dongho asked rather impatiently.

To lift his spirits, Minhyun decided to tease him a little, nudging his elbow into Donghos arm two times to earn his attention, “Can I know who is the lucky girl, Kang?”

He never wanted to tell, but sadly Minhyun was his only gateway to her. He had no alternative.

“I want to ask out Nayoung. Do you think you could introduce me to her?” Dongho told with strong confidence, not expecting for his supposed tutor to bust out into a laugh of disbelief as soon as he had said it.

“Wait, Nayoung? That Nayoung?” Minhyun smiled, mouth wide in amazement. He kept looking at Donghos face for any hints of a joke, but there were none. Meanwhile, the short male now hated this stupid prick so much right now.

“Woah!” Minhyun slapped his own knee, “Kang, you really are something else.” He soon ended his long laugh, before switching to more serious face.

“So then you must know that she just recently got out of a bad break up?” He lowered his voice, a hint of cruel teasing was still there though.

“You must want to swoop in, before her old boyfriend returns and begs for his forgiveness, and she accepts it!” Minhyun became all coy, his sly eyes turning into thin smiling lines. This was an obvious form mockery to Dongho.

“Shut up.” The shortest commanded him, only to be disrespected with a laugh. “If you think that it’s impossible for me to do, then quit wasting my time with this cupid nonsense.”

“Not at all!” Minhyun calmed the angry man, “I think you have a very great chance.” His compliment had accidentally slipped out as an obvious attempt to flirt, yet Dongho was to dumb to pick it up.

The shortest threw a weird glance at him and then chuckled to himself, “You are a guy, what would you know.” His eyes grew uninterested from looking at Hwang for too long.

The irony was so painfully obvious floating in the room, that Minhyun just wanted to go out and say it, but instead he chuckled too. Deciding that what he wanted to say was in no way relevant to the task at hand, of setting Dongho up with that woman.

“Don’t tell me you’ve had your eyes on her too?” Dongho took the silence as a threat.

“Ehh? No way, she isn’t my type at all!” Minhyun waved his wrist trying to shoo away the idea of it, Dongho could keep her all for himself.

“I figured, you must be picky too.” Dongho was now looking at Minhyun like he was the most annoying thing in the world.

“Yeah, very-very picky.” Minhyun leaned forward like he was to poke Donghos eyes out with the tip of his chin, frantically waving it around.

Only after Minhyun had calmed back in his seat, Dongho decided to reveal more of his problems, giving his new friend an idea of what he was getting himself into by trying to help. 

“I never dated anyone for more than a month.” Dongho admitted, feeling he had nothing left to hide now anyways, since Minhyun would mock him for absolutely anything anyways.

Instead Minhyuns eyes became confused, as if he was genuinely clueless as to why this guy was so unlucky all the time. “Really? That’s something huh.” Minhyun looked away to rub the bridge of his nose.

“Yeah, I know. There must seriously be something wrong with me.” Dongho let a bitter chuckle slip, “I’m in my twenties already, but all I’ve done is hook up and only get ditched right after.”

Minhyun almost aggressively jumped to defend the other male on his behalf. “The only thing wrong with you is your lack of believing in yourself, Dongho.”

Ironically enough, Dongho didn’t believe in Minhyuns story either, “What else, you should know these things, so just be honest damnit.”

Minhyun took a while to think, eyes scanning the angry short male before him, until he began to share his genuine observations, for a second Kang had thought that the guy was seriously going to discuss how unattractive he was or something, but that was absolutely not the case.

“You obviously don’t know how to express your affection, so you must be scared of rejection, which makes you appear as shy and closed off to others.” He was given his unexpected answer.

Dongho snapped at Minhyun, jokingly raising his elbow to slice Minhyun in the back of his neck, “What does that even mean, you punk?”

“You’ve built these walls around you Dongho, nobody can get to you.” Minhyun worried. He could read people very well, because sometimes he shared the same flaws it was easier to detect those same details in others, but at least Minhyun was greater at hiding them from others than Dongho.

The short male took a bit to process it, maybe Minhyun was right, but Dongho knew he would be powerless to change anything about himself. He was content with himself the way he was.

The car stopped to finally drop Minhyun off. After the passenger had hopped out if the vehicle, he walked back over to peer his head back into Donghos driver seat window, almost scaring him shitless in the process of doing so.

“Thank you for taking care of me Dongho.” Minhyun spoke in a sweet voice, it made the driver snort, he lowered the window and put his elbow out the car window to sneer right back at Hwang.

“You are calling me by my first name already, since when are we friends?” Dongho triggered Minhyuns sly smirk to appear.

“Since I hacked in your phone and added my number to your list of contacts.” Minhyun revealed. “Excuse me?” Dongho leaned his ear out the window in a flinch.

“When you were drunk I had to check your phone to see if I had someone I could call. And I put in my own number just in case.” He explained.

Perhaps Minhyun had not exactly had been hacking to get into the phone, but he had certainly guessed the unlock pattern on his first try by drawing a simple square. Donghos baffled face made him laugh, “If you got any girl trouble you know who to call!” 

The man waved, leaving Kang to watch him run off into the crowd of high rise buildings towering in the dark distance.

Driving back home was really somber now that he sat alone. Eversince Hwang had forced him to talk about his awful love life, all Dongho think of were his numerous failed relationships, and all of those past failures would only built up more anxiety. He was scared of asking Nayoung out on at least one date, he didn’t want to mess up again.

Nayoung was different, unlike anyone else he has had a thing for in the past, he had never felt such a strong rush of emotion towards anyone, it was like she was literally the one.

He felt like a kid, unable to confess to his crush, and it killed him inside out. He made the promise to himself to at least try it, otherwise he would definitely regret it later. And like it or not, from now on Minhyun was going to have to be his wingman, because unfortunately he was Donghos only chance of ever coming near Nayoung. That guy was actually friends with her, so he knew her better than Dongho did.

 

The lunch breaks at work were not nearly long enough for him to chat up any strategies with Hwang before eating. The tall male sat hugging a chair facing backwards, across from where Dongho was angrily stuffing his face. 

Minhyun was starting to feel quite comfortable with Dongho stealing his time from work, this fella, certainly had an interesting personality. He was grumpy, but fun to tease, unlike his other coworkers working on his floor, who were all unmarried or at least twice divorced women in their mid forties.

“We should hang out together after work sometime, I could teach you more of my tips then.” Minhyun suggested, lowering his chin to the backrest of the chair. His pink peeled fingernails nervously clicking away from Kangs vision.

“Ha,” He snickered, “You haven’t even given me a single good piece of advice up to now.” Dongho uttered like he almost hated the guy.

“That is because you must start with yourself first.” Minhyun joked, trying to earn at least one smile from his friend. “I want to show you a place she will like, me and her are pretty similar.” He had finally got the guys attention now.

“She likes going out drinking and partying in groups of friends.” Dongho spoke to himself, looking away from Minhyun to ponder, “Like a karaoke place, or some expensive dance club.”

“Oh, you’re observant!” The tall boy had raised his chin to cheer. But there was a pout on Donghos face, like a spoiler for what he would say next. “I hate parties, and annoying people.” Donghos dull tone made Minhyun drop his chin back in place again.

“You have to put yourself out there Dongho, adapt.” Minhyun encouraged him, but even right now, the mans eyes were elsewhere, avoiding eye contact when speaking. Minhyun picked up that Dongho would look away whenever he was nervous or flustered.

“Hey, you’re avoiding eye contact, you have to look at people when you speak to them.” He demanded. However, Dongho decided to simply mock him, “Seriously, eye contact? That’s such a rookie advice. Got anything better than that?”

“Oh come on, try it! Just gaze right into my eyes.” Minhyun whined, wanting to squeeze it out of Dongho one way or another.

“Why would I wanna gaze into your eyes you jackass?” Dongho kept threatening Minhyun, who had decided to give it up for now, “Let’s try this another time.” He sighed.

Dongho agreed, “I’ll have spare this whole week, as soon as I’m out of work.” Minhyun was surprised, “Whole week? What about the next one?”

“Also free.” Dongho replied.

The lines of worry continued to spread across Minhyuns forehead, “And the next-next one?”

“Yeah, I’m pretty sure I don’t have anything important coming up soon.” The shortest shrugged.

“Dongho, my guy. Do you not ever hang out with your friends, do you even have any?” Minhyun was worried the guy might just be someone anti-social.

The man shook his head and sighed deep, “I just transferred from another city, all I’ve done thus far is work, work, work.”

Minhyuns teasing smirk had reappeared, he leaned his large head closer to Dongho, “More like, thinking about girls, thinking about girls, work, thinking about girls.”

The bigger guy jolted, eyes darting around the room looking for anyone who might of overheard, “Lower your damn voice, Hwang.” While Minhyun just giggled in the background.

After simmering himself down, Dongho leaned back in his chair, taking the plate and spoon along with him to view the bigger picture of Minhyun from a distance, “So what do you do in your spare time that is so much better than what I do, punk?”

The short male felt it was only fair to ask, since Minhyun had the guts to mock him for the lack of plans for the rest of the month. Dongho was spiteful right now, he wanted to know what made Hwang consider himself so much better than him.

Minhyun pondered for a long moment, before returning at wide smile at Dongho, “I rather stay mysterious.”

“Hey, that’s not fair at all, you get to know every hidden detail of my life and I can’t even know yours?” Dongho whined, almost kicking his foot at the other man from under the table.

Minhyun shook his finger in sync with shaking his head, “Your are trying to get to know Nayoung not me, remember? Unless you’re planning on dating me instead.”

“Don’t ever say such a nasty thing.” Dongho blurted out, shrugging his shoulders forward to push his now empty dish before Hwang. The other man continued to tease him for as long as Kang was near.

 

Minhyun lived in a strange neighborhood, the apartment buildings were gritty and worn down, a crowd of unsorted cables crossed above the low alleyways. Dongho had to check the address twice before proceeding, he followed a long balcony corridor passing apartment doors with high numbers on them, until he found one matching what Minhyun had sent him via text.

A heavy steel door stood in his way with a passcode lock beside it, keys worn down so much that it was possible to make out the possible combinations. Dongho rang the doorbell, although the sound it made was more of an unpleasant high pitched buzz.

The door opened, but instead of Minhyun opening it was a man Dongho had never seen before, staring at him with wide eyes. “Who the heck are you?” The man spoke in a distinctly deep voice.

Just as the confused guest at the door was about to ask to confirm the address, that stranger decided to bolt right past him and fled from the apartment all together.

Seconds later, Minhyun appeared into the frame, as if chasing after the man who had just left, but that guy was already far too into the distance to be seen anymore even if Minhyun stuck his neck out. Confused, Dongho looked to his co-worker wearing little clothes, holding a balled up shirt to his naked chest instead of wearing it.

Surprisingly, the guy didn’t look even a bit embarrassed about the weird scene. Minhyun quickly figured that his one night stand had probably seen Dongho at the door and mistaken him for a boyfriend. 

“Don’t worry about the guy, you probably won’t see him again.” Minhyun greeted the guy in, apologizing for the surprise.

The shortest glanced back down the long corridor for one last time, “Who was that dude?” Dongho was still unable to connect the dots in his head, interrupted just before he could even grasp the ground idea by Minhyun pulling him in.

“I am not ready to head out just yet, can you wait?” Minhyun apologized again to his friend. Who had come here all the way to pick him up, so he could introduce Dongho to the places he could learn to frequent in order to take his future girlfriend out, that he had mentioned before.

“Yeah, sure.” Dongho shrugged, forgiving the man and guessing that he had simply forgotten about their arrangement, since he already had another guest over. Meanwhile, Minhyun rushed back into a back room, leaving his guest standing in the living room.

This house was tidy from inside, the shelves weren’t crowded and everything including even the clutter on his study desk seemed to be sorted for more or less of a decorative purpose.

Dongho was scared to even touching anything, fearing of sitting on the couch too, not wanting to ruin any of the order in Minhyuns space.

Old photographs of unknown students along with Minhyun as a teen dressed in matching uniforms littered the wall above the couch in organized clusters. Minhyuns smile in those photos seemed so different than his usual one Dongho had seen up to now. It was so actually life like. 

Dongho looked at the friends faces in those pictures, but still had no clue who any of these people were, go figure.

The boy was out and ready within minutes, wearing different clothes than he usually did at the office. He was dressed up almost like a model, wearing a high turtle neck. Dongho felt like a criminal for standing there dressed in his hoodie and sweatpants.

 

Minhyun had instructed Dongho to go to this downtown district where bars and clubs lined the streets, neon signs lit the way when the allyways became tighter.

Somehow the tall male didn’t really seem like a party person at all, but who knows, perhaps he was just very flexible and able to adapt to any environment. The shortest wished he could be like that too.

“She’d probably love this place!” Minhyun had walked him into a place with a long bar counter, a small dance floor and corner chairs in the far back.

“Are you sure?” It seemed a little too loud and too bright for Dongho, when he imagined intimate dates this would not the first location that would come to mind for him. Minhyun nodded proud, pulling him to an empty seat in the back where the two sat down. 

“So what now?” Dongho felt uncomfortable being in this place already.

The tall male flashed his teeth, “Well, for starters you’d order some drinks for your date. Nut you should probably get a feel for it first, try it out now.”

Dongho snort, “Jerk, you are just trying to get me to buy you free drinks.” The other man began to laugh, “Was I that obvious?”

He was willing to pay for the guys drink, but didn’t buy one for himself. Minhyun took note of it, getting reminded of the night he had to drive this guy home. 

“You don’t really like drinking too much do you?” Minhyun now felt bad for ordering if he was drinking alone. The man admitted with a nod, “I’d have to sit at the wheel anyway.”

Then invite her friends to tag along. Plus, she will feel more comfortable that way and someone else could always drive instead.” Minhyun suggested.

“Then that wouldn’t be a date.” Dongho raised suspicion. “Not every hang out with her has to be an intimate one on one date. Also, if her friends have a good impression of you, then she will be more encouraged to like you too.” Minhyun insisted.

The guy was starting to talk like he was somekind of a smartass. So the shortest paused to say, “Wouldn’t it be awkward hitting on her in front of her friends?”

“Just don’t make it too forced and I’m sure you will get away with it.” Minhyun wouldn’t say it, but he really couldn’t imagine this guy hitting on anyone any time soon, Dongho was too timid and too childlike. 

“If you’re too scared to hang out with her group of friends alone, I can wingman for you!” He added in efforts to make his friend brave.

Dongho scoffed, he didn’t want this guy to keep holding his hand. “I can do it myself.” He insisted.

 

The short male had been sitting at the table alone for a bit, the songs playing in the background of the bar would switch from one to the next while Minhyun took his damn time away in the bathroom. Dongho stared at his nervous thumbs over the screen of his phone which displayed the online profile of his crush.

She had been active with posting lately, even today she had gone out somewhere with dozen of her friends. Nayoung was so popular with people that the faces of others in her photos were always different people.

Dongho seriously had no idea if he could even chase her at this point. His sad reality was him being stuck in some random club taking love advice from Hwang, for fucks sake.

The tall boy would finally land back in the seat after his extended piss break, announcing his arrival with a loud, “I’m back!”

Dongho raised his nose slightly, “Oh, hey.” 

Without waiting, the tall boy slid around the corner chair, to settle hip to hip next to Dongho, leaning into his ear. At first Kang flinched, feeling Minhyun scroll to him so up close out of nowhere, but knowing he was probably being affected by the drink he gad, he let it slide without whining.

Minhyun started to whisper, “Hey dude, I totally just overheard chicks checking you out from afar.” He gossiped. “Really?” Dongho looked at him with a glimmer of hope in his eyes.

“Yeah.” Minhyun recalled their conversation in vivid, graphic detail. His eyes became drawn to Donghos large thighs stuffed under the table, that the conversation had been about.

The short male looked around the club like sad puppy trying to notice anyone looking his way, but there was nobody there anymore, “What did they say?”

Minhyun pretended to shrug, “Oh, I don’t remember anymore.” Dongho felt cheated by his new friend.

But the guy had something else of importance to bring up, “Hey Dongho, you gotta stop wearing hoodies and cargo pants. Don’t try to ask out girls like this.” Minhyun scrolled his eyes up and down Dongho with a mild selfish intent.

“Yo, what’s wrong with cargo?” Dongho shot a loving gaze down at his own outfit, the big guy didn’t seem to notice Minhyuns stare at all. 

The other spoke, “I know personality is what makes a person, but when you got a body to show, don’t just waste it, you know?”

“My body? But I’m kinda chubby.” Dongho worried, not noticing Minhyuns compliment. “Hey, should I start hitting the gym?” He wore a face full of insecurities.

Minhyun blurted out loud in fear, “No!” 

He really couldn’t imagine the male in a better physical form than right now, and if Nayoung herself didn’t end up seeing it too, then she probably has her eyeballs put in backwards.

“Huh?” Dongho seemed a bit taken aback by such an outburst of emotion coming from Hwang, but the tall male laughed it off well.

“I want to see what’s inside of your wardrobe Dongho!” Minhyun looked excited just by coming up with the idea, “Or should we go on a shopping spree together, like all stylish boys do?” An elbow kept jabbing into Donghos arm trying to force a yes out of him.

“Shopping makes me real stressed.” The short boy let down his friend, at this point he had started feeling guilt seeing Minhyun pout every time he said something even remotely anti-social.

“Lets do something that doesn’t make you stressed then.” This time Minhyun surprised him, he didn’t try to force him out of his comfort zone anymore and just went with the option that the man was the most comfortable with, for that reason it felt weirdly heartwarming. Dongho nodded his eyes to the floor, promising to himself to get more outgoing overtime.

 

It was another late night at work, Dongho prepared to pack up, switching the light at his desk off and prepared to walk to his garage and wait for Minhyun again like he had been doing for the past few days already.

That guys car had still not been fixed till now, Dongho wondered just how badly he might of wrecked it somewhere for it to take this long. As he was so tired of the mans non stop babbling in his car.

Another one of Donghos co-workers ran into him by chance on his way out, “Hey Kang, you doing anything this weekend? We need a driver.”

“A driver for what?” Dongho didn’t seem too interested. “Someone in our department just broke up, so we are throwing a party. Everyone will be drinking obviously.”

“Sorry, I’m gonna have to pass on that.” Dongho didn’t feel like he would have agreed either way anyway, he wasn’t into hanging out with people.

“Ah, I figured you wouldn’t. That’s okay.” He received a reassuring response.

But just then Dongho had realized that this was a good chance to become more outgoing with the people in the new city, and forced himself to reconsider the idea of spending time with strangers, even if it meant drunk strangers.

“Who else is going?” Dongho stopped the person just as they were to depart from conversation, they took their time counting names in their head, and then repeated them out loud.

Dongho knew none of these people named, but as soon as the name of his female crush was dropped, his ears went full red. Of course she was going to be there, nobody in the workplace dared to not invite her to the outings. Literally everyone adored her enough to demand her presence at every work party.

“Alright, I’ll come.” Dongho pretended that he had a hard time giving in even though now it came easy. His colleague thanked him ten times in relief.

 

Minhyun stepped into Donghos bedroom finally being able to explore under normal conditions. He paid attention to the detail, the walls were in a shade of dull white, overflowing cabinets and plastic storage containers stacked along side the walls made up for the lack of actual furniture. And there was a huge bed pushed up to the wall on the side, for one huge sleeper.

The air in the room had not been aired out too well before Minhyun had stepped in, and there was a very strong musk of sweat in the air. While normally Hwang would consider a whiff like that disgusting, this time it triggered a different reaction in him, he realized that he kind of liked Donghos smell.

Messy bedsheets stayed unchanged and wrinkled over the mattress, still holding the shape of Dongho who had been sleeping there just minutes ago before opening the door for Minhyun. The tall male stared at the source of the smell in interest.

Dongho awkwardly rushed to click and pull open his bedroom window to let the bad air out, he had not realized how much of a mess his place was until he had already let the clean and neat Hwang into his dump.

The tall male gave him a reassuring smile, “So where’s that closet of yours?” Dongho pointed at a big dark wood cabinet towering menacingly over the whole room. “It’s that thing.” Dongho responded.

Its doors spread open as Minhyun stood in front ready to dive his head in, but there wasn’t really much to look at, Dongho had a bit of everything.

Minhyun had noticed how Dongho was a man of many colors. It was unusual seeing them though, since the big guy worked in a department that had more formal business dress code, and bright lettered hoodies like these were a big no-no.

Without asking for permission Minhyun punched his hand right in the closet to drag out his best picks, despite Donghos desperate yelps to keep them hidden away from the eyes of any man. After all, Dongho kept his underwear somewhere in there too, but this prick was so invasive, he didn’t even care.

“You gotta put this one on right now.” Minhyun had pulled out black pair of tight fitting jeans Dongho had probably not seen outside his closet since high school.

“They would barely fit me anymore.” The guy looked around the ripped jean holes he had once thought were really cool.

“In the name of fashion, sometimes one must suffer.” Minhyun acted shaken by his own words to tease Dongho. “I’m really starting to despise you Hwang.” The other man sighed.

 

“So uhh, what are the damages?” Dongho jokingly posed in one of the numerous outfits Minhyun had picked him out to wear. The tall boy sat on the ground of the living room legs crossed, clapping and cheering for his model. At this point the two were just playing dress up, and this wasn’t really going anywhere, but at least it was fun.

Dongho had started to see a pattern here, every piece of fabric Minhyun had put together was stretched too small or tight around his waist. Even though Minhyun insisted that chicks would dig that stuff, Dongho couldn’t help not to laugh.

“You look really funny.” Minhyun kept snickering at as Dongho made a badly done poses for him while wearing a flannel shirt and just shorts.

“You think I could greet her like this?” Dongho joked. “Well, don’t forget the lumber axe.” Minhyun snarked back.

“Okay, just one last one.” Minhyun begged, grabbing more clothes out from his pile. Dongho sighed from above him, “Oh come on dude.” The tallest laughed with a wide smile, “I think this one would really compliment your ample shapes.” 

Minhyun tried, with little succession, to not be obvious by forcing Dongho to wear the next round of shorts, even tinier than the ones before. However, Dongho was too stupid to realize any malicious intent on Minhyuns part, he figured the punk was making him wear silly stuff, only because it was funny.

“For fucks sake.” Dongho blindly trusted him, although he wasn’t too bothered to put up any more of a show than he had done for the previous outfits. Pulling the shirt over and off himself on the spot.

“Wah! Don’t just strip in front of me!” Minhyun protectively covered his eyes, just joking around. “Then don’t be some kind of a perv.” Dongho scolded him. 

“I’d never!” Minhyun made a scary smile that had made Dongho change his mind and retreat to his bedroom, just as the rallest had wished

While left alone again, Minhyun would again scroll his head around this guys apartment. He was told Dongho had just got it, but it was just barely little less miserable than his own. Even though he didn’t particularly like it too much here, there was some homely vibe to this place, perhaps it was just because Dongho who lived here radiated that kind of energy.

In boredom, he reached to poke Donghos original clothes he had been wearing before this. Baggy sweatpants and a tank top. Minhyuns eyes stretched into a feline stare, he curiously lifted them up in his lap to explore.

He had to ask himself, on a scale from one to ten how messed up would it be if he put those to his nose right now. Dongho came out of his room shortly after, surprised to see Minhyun not sitting in his spot anymore.

His eyes shifted to the tall male, wearing his droopy and loose sweatpants and shirt, facing away from him. Minhyun stared into the rooms wall mirror with a terror stricken face, “I am now Kang Dongho.”

“Hey, um.” The short male was close to being appalled, Minhyun turned to him with a flustered face, but it quickly changed when he had suddenly recognized Dongho wearing the same jeans from before instead of the shorts. Dongho had left those in his bedroom ripped in two pieces by accident while trying to wear them.

The guy decided to ignore Minhyun layering his own clothes with his own for a second, “Would this be okay to wear if I showed up in front of Nayoung like this?” 

Dongho pointed at a gray tee, that showed off his attractive tattoos, although he didn’t know if she even liked tattoos. Besides the point, Minhyun certainly did, but he wasn’t going to say that out loud.

“You look great in everything Dongho, you always make it work!” Minhyun gave him a thumbs up, and even if that verdict had made Kang smile up a bit, he knew that the jerk was only just flattering him. There was no way of truly knowing with this guy.

“I’m planning on attending a gathering with Nayoung present while wearing this, I accepted a party invite.” Dongho announced, satisfied with his progress no matter how little it was.

“Really?” Minhyun smiled in awe, looks like his work was finally paying off, he was so impressed with loser Kang, he could even tear up right now if he wanted to.

“Yeah.” Dongho felt stupid proud, but he had nobody else to brag to about it.

 

That day came quickly, but it felt like ages for Dongho. When he finally arrived to the party and saw her from afar, he felt like Minhyuns help was never necessary. Just like he had said, things did seem to move along as long as he just pushed himself.

They were in someone’s house, someone’s backyard to be more precise, within a rich neighborhood where grass had been routinely mowed and the perfectly square shaped hedges outlined the high stone walls around the residence.

She stood and arm reach away from him, dressed in a style quite the opposite to what she usually went for. It was a short white dress, that went along with a long gold feather shaped earrings, while her hair was done up all pretty. She was a literal angel.

Nayoung greeted pretty much everyone who had just arrived, and when it was finally Donghos turn to make his presence known, it dawned on him that she was the one who actually lived here.

“Oh, Hi! Kang right?” The woman opened up with a smile, but Dongho didn’t say anything back and just stared at how amazingly beautiful she was this up close.

She fluttered her eyelashes leaning in closer to Donghos face, “Huh? Don’t tell me you’ve had drinks already, I heard you will be the one driving.” She was only just teasing him, already aware of the guy being shy. Just like Minhyun, she had the ability to read through people.

Dongho itched behind his blushing ear, smiling at the ground. “Yeah, sorry. I’m not used to being invited to parties.”

Nayoung waved her wrist, “That’s fine, my friends are nice, so feel yourself at home!” She then leaned to greet someone else behind him. The interaction was so miniscule, but it had worked. Dongho was so happy he could die just from this.

The short boy disappeared to a quiet part of the party to text, he had no one else in his mind other than Minhyun, that guy was an expert, so he should be telling Dongho what to do next.

However, Minhyun was not reading any of his texts, despite this being a very crucial turning point in Donghos life. Angered, the short male decided to give him a ring, and surely that is what did it to get the attention he was desperate for, the other line had finally picked up.

“Minhyun, why weren’t you picking up? I have news to tell you.” He sounded so excited, almost like a kid talking to his phone.

“Who is this?” Came an unknown voice of a male from the other side, it was Minhyuns phone, but whoever had just picked up clearly wasn’t him. 

A strange chill that washed over Dongho, it had made the hairs on his arms stand hearing the strange man speak. It didn’t even sound like the same guy Dongho had previously run into at the door of Minhyuns apartment either, he started to grow suspicious. 

“I said who is this?” The man on the phone demanded, sounding almost violent. 

There was a voice in the background, it yelled to give the phone back. Dongho clutched his cell closer to his ear, recognizing Minhyun in the distance sounding hysteric.

Dongho opened his mouth to reply with a hard yell, wanting to demand who the speaker was or how he got Minhyuns phone, but before he could the call had gone silent. He desperately tried to redial, fearing for Minhyun, but his phone was probably quick dead by now.

There was no clear indication if Minhyun was in possible danger right now or not. Maybe he had just gotten into a simple misunderstanding, but maybe it was actually serious.

Dongho couldn’t leave the party now, there were people counting on him, Nayoung was counting on him. So he quickly got it out of his head, Minhyun would be fine, he told himself, he was just overthinking it.

 

There were plenty of guests, so Dongho wasn’t the only one who had volunteered to play the role of a taxi driver that night. He was instructed to just take as many people as he could fit in the car, even the trunk if it really comes down to it.

Towards the end, he was one of the last people to leave, now busy feeling responsible to carry out the people who could no longer walk on their own from the wild night. Then help clean the yard after their mess, because after all it was Nayoungs property, and he felt bad to have it trashed like this on her behalf.

Dongho was just about done strapping the last drunken body inside his car with the rest, all sitting like peas in a pod in the back behind the dark tinted windows, their faces looking all funny and bloated. At least on the bright side, he had made some new friends with them.

A hand on his shoulder made him jolt out of place, he turned around and had almost yelled, even though it was just Nayoung. She was now wearing an open wool jacket above her dress, since the night had gotten much colder.

“Hey, your full name is Kang Dongho right?” She had finally memorized it, the girl cheered for herself when he gave her a shy confirming nod.

“You don’t know how big of a help you’ve been tonight, really! Thank you, thank you, thank you.” She repeated.

“Eh, no problem. I’m always down to help you.” Dongho but his own tongue at the end, but she didn’t seem to notice his slip up at all, being too grateful he was there to deliver her friends back home safely. 

She pretended to wipe her sweat, “I don’t even know how to repay you, I was so stressed they might end up not being able to return home before tomorrow, you have no idea.”

Dongho became distracted from the trail of words she had said, and instead became absolutely mesmerized by her smile of relief. He felt like he might lose his footing if he had been staring for any longer, so to avoid such embarrassment, he looked down to his shoes when speaking next.

“I’ll probably swing my car back around again to take the next batch of the weak and drunk home if they still need a ride.” Dongho could hear people inside the car talking and growing impatient in the background of his conversation.

“Really? Gosh, you are doing so much for us, I don’t want you to burn out.” She worried, looking for her phone inside the deep pockets of her coat.

“Give me your phone, If everyone leaves safely then I’ll text you so you don’t have to waste gas coming back here.” She insisted.

 

It was now an early morning of the working week back at the office. Contagious virus of yawns traveled from one end to the other, back and forth across the long hall of people sitting at desks, eyes busy blinking at their computer monitors.

The elevator doors to Donghos floor slid open, and the said male stepped out clearly giggly and happy today. Everyone could tell something good had happened to the male who was usually busy and grumpy sitting glued to his desk, people stretched their necks to follow the sound of him chuckling by himself with interest.

The co-workers of the man were also starting to approach him a bit more that usual today, because obviously everyone wanted to know what had gotten the big guy so tickled.

That day Dongho had not meet his annoying new friend at lunch, however his usual colleagues were all there though. “Hey guys, anyone seen Hwang?” He asked some dudes if they knew.

In these past few days, Minhyuns existence had entirely left Donghos brain. However now after noticing his sudden disappearance, if it were ever tied to the worrying phone call, was indeed a bit worrying. He became anxious thinking about how much he had not been paying attention.

“That guy? He called in sick a while ago.” His male co-worker grunt, his face twisting into a frown as soon as Minhyuns last name had slipped out of Donghos mouth.

“Now I gotta do twice the work all thanks to that prick. Ah, its annoying, we are in the middle of our busiest week too.” The man added, causing another male from across the table to snicker.

“The guy probably got sick from fucking one of the broads from this office again.” He laughed cruelly, food still hanging in his mouth.

The short male felt a flash of heat hit him on the back of his neck, a sudden feeling of dread took him when he thought about what could have happened to Minhyun that night, or what was already in the middle of happening as soon as Dongho made that damn phone call.

In the end, he clocked out of the work earlier to rush to Minhyuns apartment just to see him at his own home that same day. He steered with one hand, the other pressed with the back to his mouth, while he was deep in thought.

What if that call had triggered something, what if it was all Donghos fault, he thought. If only he had left the party and gone to Minhyun right away to check up on him then Dongho wouldn’t have to be here. The angered driver slapped his other hand back onto the wheel in distress. 

All of the red lights on the road changed slow, small pitter patter of rain would spread noise across his windshield. That would become the only sound filling in the silence of that long, hallow car ride.

 

Dongho didn’t expect for Minhyun to open the door to his apartment straight away, right after the first knock. The short male was made a total fool, he was standing there panting out of breath after running from his car all the way here through the rain. But Minhyun was fine, he looked fine.

“What is the matter?” The boy at the door blinked in confusion, not expecting to see Dongho burst into his house like this.

The shortest wiped the drop of wet collecting under his nose, “I just—” He stuttered unable to come up with a good enough excuse, “I was worried about you.”

Minhyun tilted his head in confusion, “Do you want to step in first?” He kindly offered his friend into his warm apartment, away from standing out in the hallway that smelled grossly of a recently lit cigarette.

Dongho was glad, sitting himself down on the couch like it was his own. After a moment Minhyun returned from his kitchen to serve himself and his guest some coffee. The boy sat on a beanbag chair across from the couch, hiding his lips behind the rim of the cup. Now the room fell into an awkward silencee.

Minhyun was wearing a turtle neck again, his sleeves pulled all the way over his wrists when it wasn’t even that cold in his room. 

“I’ve never seen you with a mug of coffee in your hand before?” Dongho joked about it. But Minhyuns eyes became sharp to the odd mention.

It was like this guy could somehow see right through Minhyun. Indeed, coffee was a thing Minhyun made whenever he was stressed out, he had not expected for Dongho to know.

“I heard from others you’ve an addiction to this stuff, so I just made one for each of us.” Minhyun grinned, tipping his mug in the air like he was doing a toast. Dongho toasted back, and after the two went to take a gulp, again the room became uncomfortably quiet again.

The shortest could feel something different on Minhyuns face today, his pretty smiles never quite looked right whenever the tall boy would whip them out now.

His sights would focus on the little details Minhyun was thinking of hiding. The mans irritated, peeled skin around his short fingernails when he held the cup to his face. His lashes blinking more than twice at a time whenever he met Donghos glare.

He darted his vision to the table in the middle of the room, a large glass panel stood in the middle of it, through it Dongho could instantly spot out a ruined table leg, secured with duct tape. It was somewhat of a crucial clue, considering Dongho did not remember a broken table the last time he had visited. It looked so out of place in the tidy and cleaned up apartment.

“I called you last night, but it wasn’t you.” Dongho spoke with a suspicion hidden in his voice.

“Ah,” Minhyun smiled again, this time for sure Dongho could tell it was fake, “Yeah, that was just some douchebag acquaintance of mine. Don’t worry, he’s not gonna be answering my phone from now on.”

But that is what Minhyin had said the last time too, when a random guy fled from his apartment, “Did the two of you fight?” Dongho asked straight afterwards.

Minhyun appeared to be bothered by where this conversation was starting to go, his eyes were shifting around the room for more accidental hints he might of left behind. As he had clearly caught Dongho staring at the table leg under for solid five seconds.

“He was just a random piece of shit. I already told him to fuck off so there is nothing to worry about.” Minhyun didn’t realize how many times he had cussed right then, this sudden defensive change in his character was only further proving Donghos point. There had been an altercation that had lead to this single piece furniture being smashed.

“It wasn’t because of me right?” Dongho spoke with regret. Minhyun held the truth to himself, “No way! It had nothing to do with you.”

The tallest remembered being pushed by his shoulders after yelling at his fling who had a jealous outburst over the stranger who had ringed Minhyuns phone that late at night. It lead to furniture falling over when Minhyun had tripped his foot on it backing up.

Some dudes just really had the guts to assume they now owned Minhyun after only fucking just a couple of times. It wasn’t like they were dating him and Minhyun clearly had no interest in dating anyway. But at least after that fight, now that guy was gone, hopefully for good.

“Were you that worried about me?” Minhyun joked, but it was more of a counter question to prevent Kang from needlessly digging into this even more. Dongho didn’t need to know, and if he did perhaps he would even find Minhyun strange and vile.

Dongho had to take an extra sip of the cup before answering, “That’s exactly why I rushed out here, I thought that something horrible had happened and that it was all my fault or something.” Dongho spoke truthfully, full of apologies.

“Well, I guess I feel bad now.” Minhyun chuckled, also owning an apology to the other man. He should have texted back, but he could have never guessed this guy cared that much for him.

Dongho freaked out at such a thing, waving his hands in front of him, “Oh, don’t be!” 

He began to shift the conversation to avoid making his friend sad, “Actually, I have good news to tell you, I’ve been meaning to tell you this for a while now.”

Minhyun could already guess what this was going to be – it had to be about the woman he fancied again.

Dongho was speaking like it was something of great importance, for him it surely was. However, Minhyun had totally forgotten about Donghos little puppy crush up to now. Yet he had learned to recognize that sudden glimmer in the mans eyes whenever he spoke of that woman. Minhyun was kind of jealous that he had never seen that shine in someone’s eyes for him, that woman was too lucky.

“We spoke a bit, and now she has my number!” Dongho announced almost in a childlike manner, and Minhyun had to pretend he was actually happy for his friend. Being happy right now seemed weirdly out of place for Minhyun.

In fact recently the feeling of happiness had become a bit foreign to the tall male, the broken table leg and the constant turtle necks to hide all the ugly the hickeys he now regretted begging for were there to tell that tale.

“Have you texted her yet?” He cheered for the other male who was too love struck right now to even notice Minhyuns fake smiles anymore. 

Prompted by his friend, Dongho began to pour all of this useless info on Minhyun about how perfect Nayoung was, how pretty and different Nayoung looked when wearing a rare white dress, how Nayoung offered had her phone number first. It was always, Nayoung, Nayoung, and Nayoung.

The tallest felt himself jolt back awake from a state of dissociating, he had zoned out for as long as Dongho had been speaking to him and minutes had already passed since the guy had began.

As soon as Dongho noticed this, Minhyun was already making an excuse, “I think I have a headache coming on.”

He started to act like he was sick, but in truth, if he had keep listening to Donghos non stop babbling for any longer, then maybe he would actually get sick, so ill that he would vomit in the lap of the speaker. He wished he had never opened the door for him in the first place.

“Is it bad? You were fine just a minute ago?” The poor guy was suddenly knocked out from his love rant. 

In panic, Dongho started to sit up looking for a non existent reason why Minhyun was suddenly looking so pale he could faint, even looking into the mug of coffee the two had just digested for the reason. Minhyun was truly a stellar actor.

“Yeah, I called in sick today for this reason.” Minhyun laughed at his own lies. But Dongho didn’t see it as a laughing matter and took it upon himself to then take Minhyun back to bed.

This night Dongho was the one dropping the limp body of Minhyun under his own sheets. This scene was familiar, it had reminded Hwang of their first initial meeting, back when he barely knew Kang and had to carry his drunk miserable body all the way to his bed. But now the roles were reversed.

Thinking about that night too much had earned him a flashback, the one were had been Dongho all sweaty and sleepy laying out on the bed in a curious position pleasant for Hwangs lusting eyes. 

Reminded of how attractive Dongho had been that night, spread out and tired in a messy bed. Minhyun had suddenly switched his gears about what he felt about Kang, he urgently wanted to feel Donghos body up close again.

The tallest mewled out the other mans name, grabbing to his wrist before the man could walk away from Minhyuns bed where the boy laid.

Dongho responded stiff to the slap of Minhyuns hand to his forearm, “Is there anything you need, medicine or another blanket?” 

The short male had simply mistaken the gesture, he was without a clue. That worried face of his was like a wake up call for Minhyun, he snapped out of his sick daydream about wanting to lay hands on his male friend quickly.

“I was only hoping maybe some water.” The sick boy replied, watching the other nod and rush to find where the kitchen was.

As soon as the guy was out of the room, Minhyun clutched his head in his hands, thinking that he must be clearly losing it. 

He was doing it again, being reckless and stupid. Whenever he felt this sad his brain would always point at distractions as a defense mechanism, either good or bad distractions, anything that was pretty much guaranteed to work even if for only a day or two. It could usually mean drinking, clubbing or having one night stands with whoever around him wanted to fuck. The latter was perhaps why all of his flings were such assholes, he never cared who he was with for as long as they could satisfy him for one night.

Minhyun was probably never going to tell Dongho the truth about him wrecking his car on his way home. That night something had suddenly came over him, after he had that one pleasant chat with the drunken boy in the seat beside him. Minhyun hadn’t had another person open up so deeply to him in years, no matter drunk or not. 

And after Kang had been delivered home safely, that seat where he had sat beside Hwang was now empty. Minhyun felt weirdly lost, like he would never have a moment like that ever again, and it filled him with longing sadness.

When back on the road, he had become stuck in time counting the street lights floating across the whole stretch of the highway, flashing by and over the windshield just as his car continued to speed. Minhyun had not seen that small intersection coming up in time, miraculously he had survived without a scratch inside the mangled piece of metal that was left of his car. Although now he was probably not ever getting back his license.

Dongho returned with the whole electric kettle, after unable to find a larger than an average glass in a strangers kitchen. The man wanted to sit with friend until his migraine would pass, but Minhyun insisted it would be better for him to leave and not come back. Again, Dongho misunderstood the request, and promised to meet him at work instead as soon as he shows up.

 

Dongho sat at his job desk sulking with the phone in his hands focused on the number of his crush, which he feared texting more than he feared any other type of misfortune.

He thought to himself, would it be totally weird to hit her with a random hey out of the blue. Perhaps it would just come off as creepy. Now Dongho was seriously stuck and had no clue on what to do next.

“What do we have here?” Came Minhyuns teasing voice from directly over his shoulder. Dongho jolted forwards to hide his phone into his own chest away from such preying eyes.

“Woah, you scared me you prick.” Dongho hissed, it had been few days since he had last seen the guy, but he certainly looked better now.

“You look healthier.” He awkwardly mentioned it, causing the tall male to pretend blush about such a top-notch compliment. Dongho wished he had not said anything at all.

“So did anyone say anything about me while I was gone?” Minhyun looked excited for gossip even the bad. Dongho slowly nodded, “A lot of people were worried about you, but not everyone.” He remembered how Minhyuns male colleagues were just shit talking him back at lunch.

“Well, what about you then. Did you miss me?” Minhyun grinned wide, expecting Dongho to get flustered. It was disappointing when the other male instead only gave him a frowning glare.

“I should’ve called you.” The shortest boy suddenly realized, angry with himself for being such an awful friend. Minhyun was still pleased to hear that the guy cared as much.

The tall male snatched a rolling chair from the empty desk next to Donghos to sit with him, “So tell me, what have I been missing out on?” He pointed at the boys only big problem at hand.

“Nayoung wise?” Dongho raised his eyebrow, “Yeah, that wench.” Minhyun joked, earning an angry frown from the other.

“I just want to ask her out on a date. Be able to ask any girl out on a date for the matter of fact.” Dongho sighed, washing his hand over his tired face, “But I don’t even know what to do on a date.”

“Sorry, I probably sound like such a loser right now to you, don’t I?” Dongho apologized. “Not at all!” Minhyun insisted.

“What do you mean by, you don’t know what to do on a date?” Minhyun tilted his head in confusion, he had hoped in his long life of over twenty years Dongho had gone on at least one date before.

Minhyun wasn’t in luck. Dongho revealed the last time he had done something that official was back in the first year of college. “I don’t want to bore her Hwang. You know that she must be picky like you.”

Minhyun crowded his brittle eyebrows in one point on his forehead, making an alarmed expression at his friend, “Like me? Dongho, what are you implying with this?”

“This is going to sound so stupid, but –” Dongho sighed before continuing, “Can you go on one pretend date with me, please?”

The big guy just knew Minhyun would say no, but he was so desperate, enough to beg, “Just point me at the things that I am doing wrong, and tell me if I’m being boring.”

Minhyun blinked his eyes open and closed at such request, Dongho was truly something else, so devoted to this one girl. “As long as you pay for the whole fee.” Minhyun laughed, making Dongho shy away from his split second long grin of relief.

“Woah, seriously? You are the best dude.” Dongho was in awe, “I can’t believe I am asking a guy out on a date with me, that’s a first.” Dongho began to sound like he had no other choice, but to do this, which in Minhyuns eyes had made it even funnier.

“Watch it, I only agreed to it by being a pretend date, so you better keep your hands to yourself.” Minhyun joked, insulting his friend to make him sound like some kind of a pervert. Dongho snort.

 

That day Minhyun wore another fluffiest scarf before heading out. These past weeks the weather had gradually started to cool close to the zero. The naked branches of trees would scrape outside his bedroom window with each the gush of the wind that came.

He had absolutely no idea where Dongho was going to take him today, as it was supposed to be a secret. Even though the random text asking Minhyun if he knew whether or not Nayoung knows how to ice skate was a pretty big spoiler ahead of time.

Dongho had stood right beside his car, his original plan was to act cool and wait, but now that the cold was biting at his fingertips, he hardly ever looked cool in front of Minhyun, who was already giggling from afar seeing him stomp and blow steam of hot air from his nostrils like an angry bull.

“Alright, get in.” The man impatiently rushed to open the door for Minhyun, even though the guy was still at least five full steps away from the car.

The two sat silent in their seats, Dongho rubbed his hands together and blew a hot breath in his cupped palm to get warm, Minhyun followed his advice just to be polite in an awkward situation. 

It was starting to feel like real date, in a sense that none of them knew what to do and they were too shy to interact yet. Without a word Dongho began to drive, and so far this date was quite dull, but Minhyun was willing to give his favorite student one or four more chances to redeem himself along the way.

“It looks like it might start to snow soon.” Minhyun finally broke the ice. Dongho leaned forwards to better see the clouded grey sky above, groaning just at the idea of having to drive slow through the freshly iced roads coming up within the next few weeks.

“So where are you taking me?” Minhyun spoke up again. “Huh?” The driver woke from his busy thoughts. “Ah, don’t you want to wait and see till we get there?” He chuckled to himself.

“At least tell me how long is it gotta take us to get there.” Minhyun hid his mouth deep under his scarf to pout. Dongho bought out his pretty smile again, his greatest weapon against Minhyun, “That is also a surprise.” He teased.

“Dummy.” Minhyun pretended to be upset, but Dongho could easily tell he was not. The shortest let his friend even take a quick nap, though the destination wasn’t that far. But the traffic lights switched slow, and the line of cars ahead of them seemed endlessly long.

Minhyun had no clue how he felt about amusement parks, he had only gone to these a lot back when he was a kid, much less as an adult. But Dongho seemed ecstatic about coming out here for some reason, practically dragging Minhyun who was lagging behind by his sleeve.

The two walked around the outdoor section for a bit just walking around and talking about meaningless things, it wasn’t a real date, but Minhyun was still having fun. After a while, he slowly began to realized that he had been talking less, and now Dongho was the one doing all the talking, and boy he talked awful a lot when he was happy.

Minhyun believed that Dongho didn’t even need his shitty advice on how to propose to Nayoung, if she didn’t already see the joy that Dongho shined, then it was going to be her own damn loss. The tall male kept that thought to himself.

As the day had progressed they moved to the inner section of the amusement park, a large indoor skating rink opened up, the supposed main attraction of this date. 

Dongho was absolutely going to force Minhyun to skate and the tall male couldn’t wait to fall flat on ice, only to blame his friend for it. The two weren’t bad at ice skating, Dongho was clumsy and quick to wail his arms, but not bad. They even held hands trying to hold one another off from slipping to the ground.

 

Minhyun shifted his shy eyes over at Dongho sitting across from him at a restaurant table. The sounds of the amusement attractions sounded muffled in the background.

Dongho finally put down a licked clean spoon, “So, what’s your status update?” This was his weird way of asking if his friend was still having fun.

Minhyun laughed, “You know, you’re really making me flustered by forcing me to admit that I am having fun every ten minutes.”

“Hush, just act like it’s a real date for now.” Dongho would pretend this was serious business, but his pleased smirk would still shine through, most of the things they said or did together at the time was purely done as a joke.

“Oh yeah?” Minhyun boasted, “Do you want me to give you a kiss at the end of the date too then?”

The big guy shook his head, “Don’t want none from you, ya’ punk.” He wiped his mouth with a tissue before speaking up once more, “So, I mean how is it this far?”

Donghos smile was convincing Minhyun to talk, “Yeah, I am having a good time alright.” He added, “I haven’t gone onto a proper date in ages myself. This is the first real time I even had this much fun, without actually delving into adulterous stuff.”

The shortest would snort, figuring that by ages Minhyun meant minutes, “Adulterous, like what?” This time Dongho was full of interest to hear it out, after tonight he wasn’t as uncomfortable having to hear Minhyun brag about his one time dates.

Moment of truth, Minhyun chapped his lips thinking about a way it could be possible for him to open up and be truthful for at least a little bit to see if his friend would mind.

“Stuff like, accepting drinks from strangers to the point of passing out. Or bringing them home afterwards.” Minhyun tried to play it off as a joke just in case, predicting that the always blunt Dongho would frown at such a lifestyle.

Dongho shrugged thinking no to himself, “You aren’t really like that.”

Minhyuns smile began to fade, thinking if Dongho would be disappointed in him, if he knew what Minhyun was truly like. He asked himself, if the truth ever got out, would Dongho find him disgusting?

Ever since they began talking, Minhyun had started to look at Dongho as someone he could call a close friend, perhaps now even the only best friend he had, thus it would be devastating to lose him so soon. Even if Minhyun had grown used to abandonment in his life already, it still hurt.

“You are really puzzling to me though.” Dongho suddenly pointed at the other male with his spoon, eyes squint into a suspicious glare. “What do you mean?” Minhyun had to ask.

Dongho began to sound apologetic when speaking, “We have hanged out a lot, but I don’t know too much about you. This whole time I’ve only talked about myself and – Nayoung.”

That name, Minhyun wasn’t going to say it out loud, but it was starting to really irk him now. 

“That’s fine, I love hearing you talk.” He shared, “When I first met you I thought you were someone that never talks, you see, you even look kinda like a tough guy too. But turns out you are actually quite the opposite.” 

The shortest looked like he was about to blush, but he was still far from it, “I thought you were the really talkative type at first too, but you’re actually quiet a lot of times.” Dongho reluctantly spoke about Minhyun.

The tall male leaned his head forward closer to Dongho, with that excited, crazed look in his eyes, “Kang, we are bonding!” Dongho bounced back in his seat, “Eh, you’re making it sound all gross.”

Minhyuns laugh made Dongho laugh too, but after that the shortest instead became distracted with his phone, using it to check up on Nayoung. 

The tall man became a little sad now, because this was his and Donghos date after all, yet the guy was being kind of rude by being interested in someone else in the middle of their date. Minhyun had been having so much fun with this guy, that he had actually started to see this date as a real thing, or at least maybe he wished it was one.

Donghos hand laid idle on the table just in the reach of the other boy, who was now actively thinking about touching it to see what would happen. Minhyun wasn’t scared and decided to go for it for hell of it. His bored face followed his own hand in interest, watching it cup the larger hand below his.

He knew if Dongho would jump he could always just laugh and make it all out as a joke, but the guy somehow didn’t flinch. He saw the touch as nothing more than a friendly gesture, his eyes never even left the screen of his phone.

Minhyun squeezed the boys hand in his for a long moment, caressing it with his thumb, but Dongho didn’t at all seem to mind. The tall boy wondered if Dongho really could not see that Minhyun was attracted to him, was the guy seriously being this oblivious? He continued to hold tight.

Finally Dongho put away his phone, pulling his fingers out of Minhyuns desperate grasp to return to what was still left on the plate. Hurrying to catch up, Minhyun ate as quickly as he could, so that his date wouldn’t have to wait for long. 

Minhyun had realized that he had spent this entire time not eating, but instead watching Dongho eat, there was something mesmerizing about just watching the guy eat.

 

Hanging out with that boy was certainly an interesting experience, it did not at all feel like such a waste of time. Maybe it was for Dongho though, because even though he insisted that going on pretend dates with friends would help him improve for actual ones, it didn’t look like he had actually learned anything useful. For him it was just like any other meeting of two dudes hanging out, there was nothing even remotely romantic about it.

Minhyun had told the man to drop him off near a bus station by telling him not to waste any gas to bring him all the way across town to his home, plus the night was already in the deep, so it would make no sense for Dongho to return home late just for him.

The tall boy sat alone at an empty bus station wasting time on his phone while waiting for the last bus on the schedule. He couldn’t wait to go on another pretend date with his friend, only if he was down for it.

Suddenly his phone began buzzing in his hands, he flinched in place ready to open a new text message from no one else other than Kang Dongho himself.

“Did you get home safely?” Minhyun smiled at the silly message on screen. Dongho was seriously such a caring and helplessly adorable person. The guy really had the biggest heart.

He continued to grin for long, not noticing that the same fool who had sent that text had stopped his car across the street, was now watching him from afar with his elbow hanging out the window.

Dongho honked his car, making Minhyun almost jump from his spot. Luckily for them street was all empty of anyone else, but them. Minhyun skipped the road to glance into car, the guy at the wheel was smiling all over.

“Just wanted to know if my precious date made it home in one piece.” Dongho spoke in a coy voice. “You are so annoyingly corny.” Minhyun laughed, feeling bitter that he could not come up with anything nearly as clever.

“Hop in.” Dongho slapped the side of his car from the outside twice. Minhyun obliged, but just this once, because how could he refuse to those big pretty begging eyes of Dongho.

 

The next day, Dongho was already at work early, putting the coffee machine to a good use. He tapped his foot while waiting for the cup to be filled, and soon the automated machine beeped for him to feel free to take his hot beverage.

The man did this everyday, get to work, grab a coffee somewhere in between, and eventually clock out to go home and pass out in his sheets. Work was so busy these days, it seemed endless, but the money was good, or at least compared to the place he had transferred from back in his hometown.

The boy raised his chin after a delicious first sip from his cup, a cloud of slight steam warmed his rosy cheeks. These days the guy had put in a little bit more thought into him going out some more and seeing people. Minhyun was certainly right about the life being dull here in the capital city. So far, Dongho knew or spoke to no one outside of his workplace.

He shook his head from overthinking, everything about his move here and all that had come along with it made him stressed. There were two things that helped though, the coffee and thinking about the girl he liked.

Nayoung was someone special, and Dongho knew he wasn’t the only one to think that, so he was happy with just appreciating her from afar.

Dongho began look around for the bin where to toss his empty cup, perhaps the cleaner had taken it out and forgotten to replace it. In his search, he walked to a balcony on this floor, surprised to see the back of Minhyun resting his elbows on the railing and staring far into the misty city skyline ahead.

The shortest wanted to ask him what was he doing out here in the cold, but the strong stench of a cigarette smoke hit him right on the nose. He remembered, this was the smokers corner of the building. Dongho retreated indoors without saying hi or asking why he was out there, to flee from the awful smell.

“Hey Kang!” A female voice stopped him, Dongho was still holding that dumb emptied cup of coffee in his hand whilst now talking to his ultimate crush.

“Oh hey, Nayoung?” He tried everything in his power not to make a fool of himself, but this was his first time ever Nayoung had approached him herself, and he was so nervous he could die.

“Really, I just wanted to thank you again for everything you did at that party.” She was talking as if she had something to apologize for, “If it wasn’t for you my friends would had never made it to work the next morning. You know how not all cab drivers can be trusted these days.” 

Dongho laughed it off, “Hey, its fine. I did what I had to.” She returned the smile, “I should treat you and for dinner sometime?” 

The man quickly nodded, trying to hold his face from showing too much joy. Then his eyes magnetically attracted to what she was carrying in her hands, Dongho recognized the fabric on first glance. It was her white dress.

The girl caught him staring at it and decided to explain, “Oh this? Yeah, I’m planning on returning it, Its not really my style and I’ll feel bad if I just put this back into my closet and never wear it again.”

Just then Minhyun stepped back in coming off the balcony, letting a gush of the bad air in after himself. He quickly scanned Dongho and his other half speaking to one another and decided to just sneak past unnoticed. However the conversation was still there, and it couldn’t be helped that from this point on he could overhear everything.

“Return it?” Donghos eyes showed slight panic. She looked so pretty wearing it, and would just look like nothing much on anyone else, she made it work.

“Yeah, it was a gift from a friend.” Nayoung explained.

It made sense, she had a birthday just now after all, and she had enough friends to give her expensive gifts like this. That meant that the guy who had given this to her was probably close with her. It could’ve been any of those tall attractive men at her birthday party. Dongho started to feel defeated.

“Ah, I see.” He simply nodded, his eyes saying goodbye to that dress he liked so much. “Well, later then.” She made a slight bow and began to leave.

Minhyun had overheard absolutely everything. So as soon as Dongho turned to look at him with that gloomy, but scary looking expression, Minhyun would almost comically whip himself around pretending to press random dials on the coffee machine. The buttons made embarrassingly loud beeps, and it was obvious that he had no idea how this thing even worked, Minhyun hadn’t even swiped his card.

Donghos footsteps then began to distance, he had left without even saying a word. Minhyun worried about maybe offending his friend in a way, and after a whole lot of foot stomping and lip chewing, he darted to follow his friend.

“Kang!” Minhyun jumped into the elevator just in time before the door shut, but Dongho had wished it would just shut on the guy on purpose, so he could escape his mocking laughs for a day.

Minhyun spoke only after catching his breath lost over the short jog, “Everything alright? You look wrecked?” The tall make earned a silent reply.

“Did Nayoung turn you down or something?” His constant babbling was really starting to tick Dongho off by now, all this guy ever did was talk, talk and talk. Dongho looked at Hwang with distrust, as the dude was already always preying into his business. Seriously, what was his deal.

“Just stop Hwang.” He grunt as soon as he saw the man try to open his hatch for the thrid time, “Go find someone else to bother and stop bugging me all day.”

The elevator door slid open and the guy stepped out leaving his friend to pout. Minhyun guessed his luck was just shit, and this meant that he would have to ride home by a bus.

 

Minhyun got dressed to leave late. After a whole lot of thinking he was starting to feel unwell like he did before once more. His static face remained the same on the outside, but on the inside, his mind had gone blank again. 

Usually peoples insults and curses would not shake him up, but this when Dongho had said them, he felt like they stood much higher, and hurt almost as bad as a stab. Minhyun walked slow, shrouded with gloomy thoughts. 

He missed driving his car, it had often helped him to cool off. Watching the numbers on the dials go up whenever he was on a highway was at least exciting, it was the type of rush of danger and adrenaline that he craved right now.

His slow walking speed attracted quick steps behind him, he jolted feeling being grabbed and dragged from behind like someone was attacking him or trying to hurt him. Normally his first response would be to defend himself and fight out of the violent grasp, but right then his brain shut down and he was willing to let it happen.

However, the person tugging on his arm was no one else than Dongho, who was dragging him by his sleeve without a violent intent, only to make him hurry his step. The two were taking the same car tonight, Dongho changed his mind.

Minhyuns relief was short lived, the ride was awful in the sense of Dongho being dead silent for long minutes, not responding to word Hwang said. His agitated eyes were angry and judging every car on the road ahead of him, as if he was the only good driver in the city.

The tall male decided to attempt speaking again, “You okay?” Minhyuns voice sounded like a quiet squeak compared to Donghos next roar.

“Why do I always end up feeling like shit no matter what I do?” He spoke, angry at himself for being angry, “Are my ideals set too high?”

Minhyun figured that this was about his girl trouble again, and just continued to console him like always, “Just take your time, go slow.” He spoke dull.

It was fairly obvious Minhyun was by now no longer putting any efforts into his words anymore, Donghos relationship with Nayoung was really a thing he could care less about, and the other male noticed how fake Minhyuns words of encouragement had been straight away.

“How much time do I need to take before someone else comes in and does it before me?” He continued to rant, “Minhyun, I can’t keep waiting for things to happen, I know they won’t. Why the hell do I keep trying?”

“Is not being with that woman really eating you up so much?” Minhyun was finally starting to crack. How dare Kang look down on him just because some girl made him mad today? Dongho was being unbearable, and the tall male wanted to scream at him for it.

Dongho whined, clenching his hand tighter on the wheel, “No, of course not. But if I can’t do a simple thing like this then what can I do?”

What Dongho felt for that girl was nothing compared to what Minhyun had to face himself, so it was unfair for that punk just carelessly treat him like dirt to justify his anger. 

Minhyun laughed in irony, “You think your life is so much shittier than mine, huh?”

“What?” Dongho spat back, “What are you talking about? You’re popular, people flock to you. You should be grateful.” He was true, but just because the tall handsome male was popular, didn’t mean that anyone actually cared about him.

“Me? That ain’t the real me.” Minhyun gave Dongho a blatant hint, but the other male refused to believe him. 

Everyone always spoke nicely of Minhyun at the office, and those that didn’t simply envied him. The crazy stories about him being a party boy and a womanizer had totally warped the real image of the who Minhyun truly was.

Dongho wanted to do something right now, yell or pull over, anything but not to have Minhyun in his car right now, shouting at him and implying that his perfect life was somehow worse than his. But he didn’t yell, he couldn’t, that was not him.

Minhyun sat in silence hoping this car ride would just end quicker. Donghos attitude had really hurt him this time, and the fact it did scared him so much, he felt like he was starting to care way too much about the boy. So Minhyun wanted to get away from him before it would all crash down.

He started convincing himself that Dongho yelling just now was the proof that this guy simply just never cared for him. So that way Minhyun could get over losing him quicker.

“When is your car finally getting fixed?” Dongho grunt, after a minute of silence. Minhyuns heart pulled into a knot hearing that angry voice echo in the tight space of the car every time.

“I lost my license.” Minhyun spat back making Dongho put out a sarcastic laugh, “You think you’re being funny now?” The guy accused his friend of a lie.

Minhyun tried to look forwards at the road ahead of him, instead of the face of his friend blowing up in fumes beside him. But his heart was breaking, he had started to genuinely like Dongho so much, that now when the other man was starting to despise him it hurt like a knife to the gut.

He became distressed knowing Dongho would probably have to see him cry any second, he rather jump from the car than to let this man see him in such a shameful state. Minhyun grasped for the door handle to force it to unlock while they were still on the road.

Dongho panicked, freezing the tires of his car in the middle of the road to catch Minhyun away from the car door. The whole car yanked forwards, and the tires made an awful sound.

The drivers seatbelt had come undone, and Dongho had thrown himself at Minhyun instead, arms tight around the man in a hug. The two stayed in that strange position for a long ignoring the line of angry cars behind them that continued to honk in the long distance.

The hug felt so good, but Minhyun felt like he didn’t deserve it. With every second of Dongho hugging him, Minhyun thought he would only end up falling for him more.

“Don’t touch me.” He cried, but Dongho only hugged him tighter sensing the boy sniffle and sob into the pit of his neck.

Dongho let go only just so he could drive the car off to the side to let the others pass, and was just about to lean back into the hug when Minhyun elbowed him away, hiding his face by looking out the side window. 

Dongho could only see Minhyuns red earlobe turned to him, “I’ll take you to your house.” He stopped Minhyun from trying to reach for the doorknob again, “No need.” The other replied. Yet the car began to drive off against Minhyuns wishes, Dongho was a really difficult person.

 

The driver didn’t have to walk all the way into Minhyuns apartment to bring him home, but he did so anyway. With heavy guilt, Dongho felt as if his heart had been misplaced from when had lashed out on the other male. He had done such monstrous thing.

Now Minhyun was acting strange, he physically looked weak and even more pale than ever, for the first time Dongho saw the carefree and giggly Hwang be so sad.

Minhyun stared at Dongho with a blank face watching him remove the shoes inside the house. “Hey, can I stay overnight?” The big guy asked.

“I don’t think that is a good idea.” Minhyun feared being any more closer to Dongho, in the end it would only just end up hurting him more.

“Please,” Dongho insisted, “I’ll just sleep on the couch or something.” Minhyun stood there without giving an answer, why did it even matter, Dongho would force himself to be here either way.

“You’re my friend, I really can’t let you be by yourself after what I did. I wouldn’t be able to sleep after leaving you.” He vent.

Minhyun raised his chin, his nervous hands sneaking to hide behind his back. He wished that Dongho would not say that, the two shouldn’t be friends. Minhyun was a selfish monster and Dongho was someone better.

“Feel at home.” Minhyun surprised even himself, his lips had spoken against his own will. Regretting letting himself slip, he rushed to disappear into the back room.

Dongho continued to remove his jacket inside of Minhyuns living room, looking around the now familiar room. His eyes instantly returned to those pictures of the school boys wall. Smiling portraits of a younger Minhyun with his three best friends.

Dongho wondered where those boys in the pictures who looked so happy next to Hwang had gone since. These photos were old, dating back from his high school days, but after that there was nothing much else, nothing more recent that.

He decided to be noisy, not realizing how rude it would be to ask, “Do you still talk to them?” Dongho pointed at the pictures as soon as Minhyun came back out from his back room after making the bed.

The tall boy twitched seeing Dongho staring at his childhood photos so intrusively. “We just grew apart.” He wished that the guy had not bought them up, not now.

Those memories in the pictures made Minhyuns vision shatter, but he couldn’t force himself to ever put them away. They were the only proof that those happy moments had once existed somewhere outside of Minhyuns sad mind.

Dongho found it suspicious, the way Minhyuns eyes become filled with the worst dread after the photographs were mentioned. Maybe something bad had happened to them instead, he guessed.

The air in the room suddenly seemed to grow colder, and Minhyuns never ending static stare looked like it was trying to tell Dongho the truth. There was one word that had popped into Donghos mind at that moment, but of course he wasn’t going to voice it.

The word death was what all of those sad pictures pinned to the wall reminded Dongho of. They were a memorial.

“I’ll go to sleep now. The living room and shower is all yours.” Minhyun had abruptly turned around and left without saying much else.

Dongho found the gesture so random, he could tell that the tall male was all wrong, Minhyun was sad, and it did not feel right at all. After switching out of his clothes and contemplating for a bit, Dongho decided to walk into Minhyuns room uninvited to check up on him.

Minhyun, still fully clothed, was passed out above his sheets, his legs dangling off the edge. Dongho sat on the end of the bed and began to wake him up to get him to undress himself properly before sleeping.

Hwang wasn’t taking care of himself this time and it was so out of his usual character, for some reason this annoyed Dongho. The guy shouldn’t be like this, he was always so proper and polished, seeing him so low made no sense. Dongho blamed himself.

“What on earth are you doing?” Minhyun whined, waking up to him being rolled onto his back with Dongho leaning on top of him to zip down his outdoor jacket.

“You are going to overheat like this, get out of your damn clothes first.” He scolded his friend in this silly fatherly tone.

Minhyun was not fully awake yet, he didn’t want to be. In this state for some reason everything was becoming so funny right now, even this miserable situation. Dongho was in bed with him, it was giving Minhyun all kinds of foolish ideas. 

He put a wicked smirk on his face and ordered Dongho to do it for him, “Undress me yourself then.” He enticingly arched his chest up while silently giggling to himself for putting Kang in this position.

Dongho was a little taken aback, but undressing him was something that needed to be done either way, so he just obliged. Dongho opened up each layer in clothing like a curtain, first the zipper of the jacket, then the second zipper of a hoodie, and then the buttons of his shirt.

His eyes stopped to stare and fingers trembled seeing Minhyuns chest bare, he was distracted by marks smeared across his skin. Bruises and scratch marks everywhere. Minhyun appeared to smile more by his friends terrified reaction.

“Did someone hurt you?” Dongho stuttered. Minhyun replied with a deep chuckle, “No silly, these are love bites.” He had picked these up after a wild one night stand, “You should see what I did to the other guy.”

Donghos pupils trembled, but since Minhyun was saying such ridiculous things right now, he thought he had simply misheard.

“I like collecting them.” Minhyun added, enjoying the look of disgust on his friends face.

The shortest was dumbfounded, “Like? Do you like pain?” Dongho had already heard all kinds of adventurous rumors going around about Hwang and his adult lifestyle with women. But he couldn’t comprehend why anyone would enjoy marking someone with lasting scars, Minhyun was all red and blue.

The tall male didn’t reply to that question, Dongho was perhaps too innocent to know. But his stare was still curious, and he was being so lovingly affectionate when he was worried of Minhyun.

But why, why did Dongho show that he cared about Minhyun. That feeling had become so foreign to Hwang that he just started to see through people who would act this kind for no reason.

“You are always caring about me.” The tall male asked with suspicion.

Dongho had taken him to bed once before, so this was already his second time. Maybe by this point the guy was actually after something each time he came into this bedroom, Minhyun theorized.

“What do you want from me?” The boy happily smirked, as if he had figured it all out. Yet Dongho was as blank as a page, “What?”

Minhyun only further pushed his agenda, “You must want something from me, there’s no way you keep doing all of this for free.”

“Minhyun, I want to help you.” Dongho raised his voice, feeling hurt that Minhyun would ever accuse him of simply using Hwang to get onto Nayoungs good side, or at least that’s what he thought this is what it was all about.

The tall male wasn’t thinking exactly right, still in a state of being barely even half awake. He had forgotten that Dongho was obviously straight, chasing after that woman and all, instead Minhyun believed that there was nobody in the world who would just randomly treat him so kindly without expecting something of valuable in return. Right then Minhyun started seeing Dongho as just the next man in his bed, wanting to do one thing.

Hwang was absolutely willing of giving it to him too, he already reached his hand and cupped Donghos cheek, flexing his fingers to invite him closer. However the other boy could not read his signals, of course he didn’t understand what this touch even meant.

Dongho broke all contact by settling into Minhyuns bed and began to sit him up to continue removing his pants next. And as soon as the tall one was sat, the blood had rushed back to his head, thus he quickly regained his senses.

“I’ll do it myself.” He ran to stand while Dongho watched him do it, it was a little embarrassing changing in front of the other, but Dongho probably didn’t think it was that big of a deal, knowing they were both men.

Somehow during that night they both ended up laying under the same sheet, although far from one another and purely in a platonic way, it hadn’t even crossed Minhyuns mind to ever lay a hand on him without his word.

At least three times Minhyun had felt Dongho shift and attempt to move, trying to stretch his arms to hug Minhyun to sleep from the back, but he always hesitated doing so, always pulled back, thinking Minhyun would hate it.

They waited for the sleepiness to come while both staring at the ceiling without a word. The tallest hadn’t gone to sleep next to someone by sharing a pillow since back when he was probably still in school. None of Minhyuns previous boyfriends were ever interested in something like this either.

Without saying goodnight, he had closed eyes and drifted off. But not before Dongho who was already deep snoring beside him.

Minhyun woke up a little while later, the clock on his desk shined a small digit number into the dark. The tallest had just dreamt of something nice, but he couldn’t remember what quite anymore, just that it had something to do with Dongho sleeping next to him. 

He reviewed the boys sleeping face, illuminated by the low light of the digital desk clock shining in a low red light in which Dongho was unruly attractive. Minhyun wasn’t going to lie, sleeping next to an attractive guy like this made his heart pump just a little more quicker.

The male hurried the back of his palm to his now parted lips to soon muffle a low moan, his other hand had already found its way down to his lap a lot sooner before. Suddenly he started to remember that dream he had, and how Dongho was a part of it.

Minhyun was scared of feeling this way, he believed that he must be falling for the boy. But still his hand wouldn’t stop riding back and forth over the bulge forming in his underwear all while thinking about the boy peacefully sleeping next to him.

Feeling himself getting worse by the minute, he sat up to leave the bed for a bit and get rid of his need somewhere else. Yet the sudden movement also woke Dongho from his sleep, confused and afraid to lose his friend again he grabbed onto the first thing he could touch in the dark, Minhyuns elbow to pull him back. 

“Where are you going?” He worried, eyes so big Minhyun could see them clearly even in the dark. “Do you really wanna know, punk?” He hissed in response.

Dongho was afraid for his best friend, every time he went somewhere now, he felt like it was his fault that Minhyun choose to be alone. “I need to know, yes.” He voiced.

Minhyun groaned before revealing his true intent, “I’m gonna go jerk off in the bathroom right now, is that okay with you?”

“Oh.” Dongho backed off, “Yeah, go off I guess.” He blushed away from the source of Minhyuns voice in the dark, feeling like a total fool by now.

 

The time since then had started to tick away faster and faster, as if Minhyuns mind was trying to desperately escape that horrible day. But one thing he could not remove were the constant, busy thoughts about that boy, who now arrived each night to invade his dreams and make them sweet.

In the first days he would play out little films and what-if scenarios in his head. Like ones where he would be treating Dongho for a lunch at work, or finally paying him back for the gas, or maybe even asking the male to watch a movie with him together in that car. Then later, within the following days he had started to instead picture him and the handsome man making love in the back of that very same car, holding him pressed tight inside of the hug of his arms.

At the same time, Minhyun didn’t feel like he deserved to touch the boy even in his dreams. To Dongho he was nothing more than a friend, and so he would never see him as anything more. Even more so, the guy was straight, so it’s not like Minhyun could’ve ever had a chance with him to begin with.

However, his daydreams of the man proceeded to accelerate anyway, they only became even more intense, filled with anger and unrequited feelings that had all rigged up to the point at any second Minhyun could explode. But in a way, at least they had replaced his constant terror filled nightmares that he used to get instead.

In his dream world, the other man would often be left as a sweaty, crying mess pressed under the weight of Minhyun in his own bed, surrounded by the familiar colorful pillows from Donghos room along with other things the man had learned to memorize. His heavenly voice calling out to Minhyun, begging the tall male, and he would provide for the man without a pause.

Back in the reality, Minhyun had stopped caring if the two men were simply just nothing other than friends, and touched himself to the guys image every night. It had gotten to the point where Minhyun had no choice other than being forced to have to picture what Donghos face would look like while being fucked by him, otherwise the man could not get himself off.

He sat squatting down on the floor of his shower, letting the water flood over his curved spine, head bent looking down to his lap where his hand was, stroking himself to the fantasy of Dongho sucking him off. He would even call out his name, but do so quietly so that nobody, but him within his own shower walls could hear it. And that no one in the world could find out that Minhyun had already fallen for that man beyond the point of saving it.

Somewhere in the back Minhyun could hear his phone ring. He had muted all of the contacts on his phone the previous night, not wanting to hook up with anyone anymore, he had muted all but one, that being Dongho. The man had texted him to tell Minhyun that he has arrived to pick him up for work.

Minhyun stayed under the shower for a bit more, before getting done and going out. And when he ran down the steps, he put on that disgusting fake smile on his face to pretend to Dongho that everything was fine, that everything was normal.

 

“Sorry I couldn’t drive you around for the past few days, I had other things set up.” Dongho scratched the back of his ear, smiling to himself.

“Something to do with your dream girl I suppose?” Minhyun asked his friend all strapped into his seat.

“Hng.” Dongho nodded, with a big happy smile on his face, “I got to hang out with her and her friends, they aren’t all that bad.”

Minhyun was happy for him, the guy was making progress. He was gradually opening up and gaining more friends these days as well, all thanks to what Minhyun had taught him. If it wasn’t for his encouragement Dongho would have had never made it. But maybe if Minhyun hadn’t done it, then maybe Dongho could be his. The tall male didn’t wish to sulk in front of the other boy now.

“Hey Kang, would it be okay if you dropped me off somewhere further out of the city after work?” Minhyun bought out his heartfelt kind smile for this, not like Dongho would have said no to him otherwise. 

The short boy instantly had noticed a shoebox sized case that probably had something to do with the request sitting in the boys lap, but he didn’t ask. “Of course. How far?” He spoke.

 

The sunset rode low on the sky after work, warming the seats of Donghos car, a soft orange glow tinted the glass windows, making all shadows inside draw long. 

Dongho looked out to an address of a school, they had driven quite a distance outside of the capital, reaching a small isolated town surrounded by lush farmlands and meadows. The guy had figured, this was Hwangs home town, he was correct.

Minhyun prepared to uncover his hidden box as they neared a large building with large white brick walls and a bed of flowers leading a trail up hill where they could park.

Inside of his box were a bunch of little candles as well as a bundle of flowers tied with a pretty ribbon. It was ceremonial. Realizing what exactly it was, Dongho shot his face away pretending he had not looked. It looked deeply personal, so he was attempting hard not to stare. 

Minhyun chuckled at Dongho trying his best, “Come with me.” He requested his friend. Dongho hesitantly agreed to come.

Minhyuns old school was a music’s academy. Dongho could recognize the same uniforms of the students coming out from it’s gate, as the ones from the photos on Minhyuns living room wall, although they had been changed just slightly since hears passed.

The tall male found an undisturbed spot in front of the schools headstone surrounded by a small flowerbed and squat, laying all of the little candles out in front.

Dongho knew someone would probably come to clean these away later, but as long as it was a way for Minhyun to express his regards, Dongho did again not say a thing. He sat beside him to help light them right up.

The flame flickered on inside if Minhyuns palm, and he looked so calm, almost happy to be here and do this. The short male decided to try and make noise, “Is this for those boys pictured in your living room?”

Minhyun nodded, “So you probably already guessed by now.” He wore a somber smile on his face.

“What happened?” Dongho poked his nose up, not being able to stay quiet, Minhyun didn’t blame him. Everyone always wanted to know morbid things like that, or in Donghos case, wanting to know things that had caused someone to become the peculiar person they are now.

“There was a gas leak at school, all of the gates were rigged to automatically unlock in case of an emergency, but one didn’t.” Minhyun smiled when he spoke, smiling is what helped him not to cry so that is what he did, “It could’ve been fixed the next week.”

“I was lucky I didn’t come to school that day, or at least that is what they called me – lucky.” He shrugged.

He couldn’t imagine not having Minhyun trot around the office, it would be weird. Even if they had never gotten this close in these past weeks, Dongho still only ever heard good things of Hwang. He was a big help to everybody.

“Why didn’t you go that day?” He had to ask.

Minhyun sighed deep before he gave his full answer, it had been ages since he had spoken of his best friends out loud to someone other than himself.

“I had a fight with one of them a day prior, this gloomy looking guy, big shining eyes and the most genuine smile I’ve ever seen.” Minhyun reminisced, “I skipped class just to spite him.”

It felt surreal how something so preventable could have happened. The impact it had on Minhyun was tremendous, Dongho could feel it. The male was still hurting after all of these years, he was better, but how can you ever fully recover something like that.

Minhyun was seemingly suffering from survivors guilt, he had spent months, maybe even years if you sum it all up together, just thinking over what would it been like if he had died in that accident that had claimed three lives of his friends as well. But he couldn’t be like that forever, he had to live on, Minhyun couldn’t let grief become a part of his personality.

However, despite his best efforts, it was already in process of happening, long before Dongho had even showed up to witness the grief coming to fully take over. At least this boy made Minhyuns landing a little bit softer, even if he had no idea why. And for a blink of a moment, he made Minhyun feel a feeling he barely ever experienced, peace.

Hwangs voice started to crack, he sat up and so did Dongho. “I’m starting to get cold, lets get back into the car now.” He walked away avoiding Donghos glance, but the other boy could still see his eyes start to red, he followed the guy back.

Minhyun clicked his seatbelt in and then started speaking again like before, “I wanted to leave something out for them before the snowfall when it happened, but coming to this place alone makes me all sappy, you know?”

The shortest nodded, feeling somewhat honored that Minhyun had asked of Dongho to accompany him, something like this probably took a lot of courage. “Yeah. I understand.”

“There was something that made me happy recently, so I decided to take advantage and come out here.” Minhyun added.

The tallest used the side view mirror to comb his eyelashes, pretending it was only the dust that had gotten him all teary eyed. He knew Dongho wasn’t that much of a fool and wouldn’t fall for it, but for his own sake and dignity he had to at least try.

“Like what?” Dongho blurted out without thinking much, causing his friend to twist and turn towards him, “A little intrusive today, aren’t you?”

Dongho smiled to himself, “Yeah I am like that sometimes.” Minhyun liked that at least he was being honest. 

He took a deep breath before speaking, excited to announce the news, “Well I can confidently say, that I seem to have fallen in love with someone.”

The tallest instantly placed his eyes on Dongho to review his reaction. But this guy was just sitting there, clueless, he had absolutely no idea Minhyun was talking about him.

“How come you’ve never told me about your lucky lady?” The other male felt a little hurt, giving his friend those cute pouty eyes.

“Didn’t want to make you jealous about how much better in every way that person is than your silly, little miss Nayoung.” Minhyun teased the other male. Dongho chuckled, “There’s no one like that.”

 

The high amount of music playing in the background was dangerously close to popping either one of Donghos ear drums. No matter what, he really couldn’t stand clubs.

Nayoung and her friends had dragged him out here to their bi-weekly night out or something, gathering quite a sizeable crowd of people. 

Dongho quickly found a place to fit in, his new friends already knew how to make the big guy laugh and be talkative, because he was really easy to speak to, once you got him started.

Nayoung and him didn’t interact as much as he had wanted to, but still he was there in her presence, so that had to be worth something.

“Picture time!” A voice cheered, bringing together both those that cheered with them and those that only groaned, Dongho being the latter. The adults stood against a reflective curved bar wall, the perfect spot for doing photoshoots without having crowds of drunken strangers in the back.

They began shooting photos in rounds, taking their damn time to make sure the clips they shot with their phones had the better angles. Someone wanted to photograph Dongho for some reason, so they just pushed him in like that scared and up against a wall, and demanded him to smile. Nayoung gasped when someone nudged her into the frame too.

The two awkwardly stood next to one another, sharing shy glances, until Nayoung, who was the bravest of the two, took Dongho by the elbow and laughed directly at the camera. The flash went off and this one was probably going up in someone’s living room frame. Too bad it had captured Dongho looking like a deer in the headlights, absolutely horrified.

Shortly before everyone started talking about wrapping it up for tonight, Dongho excused himself to the bathroom. On his way there he bumped shoulders with someone, his eyes went wide recognizing that familiar face.

“Minhyun, I had no idea you would be here?” He exclaimed finding this situation rare, the other male spoke back, “You never expected me to hang out at a bar on a Friday night?” Minhyun looked puzzled, as he was kinda known around here for clubbing.

“It’s still a coincidence to find you here.” Dongho apologized if he had made himself sound foolish. The tallest scanned his friend who seemed way too sober to be in here and judge him, “I see, you’ve still on your driver duty.”

Why did that sound like an insult just now, the shortest male denied, “Not this time, it’s just that I really suck at drinking.”

Minhyun point at him, his finger wobbling around in pointless circles, now Dongho could see that this guy was a bit tipsy himself. “I should teach you how to sometime.” Hwang suddenly cheered.

He then lowered his head, remembering that he should probably try and hide the fact that he was out on a date with some guy right now, in order to not complicate things for himself for tonight.

“I’ll leave you to it then.” The tall male rushed away, despite Dongho wanting to chat with him some more. “Should I take you home tonight? I’ve an empty car!” He yelled to the crowd, hoping Minhyun had heard him. 

The tall male swirled through the crowds to the other side where in the far corner his date had been waiting. The two had been only flirting till now, of course Minhyun had plans, but he had no idea if he could go through with it and take this guy home now, after running face first into his friend like that. Let alone the guy he was in infatuated with out of all people.

Whenever he kissed someone, be it some gross public bathroom, or inside of a strangers house. Minhyuns mind would just fly all the way over to wherever Dongho was. He couldn’t kiss a man unless he pretended that the other person was Dongho. 

It made him feel gross and filthy, no matter how hard he tried to unfuck himself from the thoughts of his own best friend, they came flooding right back. And now after seeing him just a minute ago, Minhyun realized this situation was something he couldn’t dodge. He needed Dongho, even though he could never have him.

Minhyun apologized to his date for leaving early, promising to return another time, but it was obvious to the both of them he wouldn’t.

 

“Did you go to a your own party at that same place as well?” Dongho was a little jittery when in the car, his voice had gained Minhyuns attention only moments later.

The boy at the wheel seemed to already be exhausted and tired. Minhyun had figured the big guy probably had lots of fun today, singing and dancing with his new friends and his crush. It would be weird for Minhyun to say that he wished he could be there too.

“Ah no, I was by myself.” He shrugged, but of course Dongho wasn’t going to believe that, his smile became cute, “Are you really trying to hide your girlfriend from me that bad?”

Minhyun chuckled, nodding to Donghos false guess as if it was the truth. That version sounded much better than the reality of him trying to get fucked by some random stranger that night in order to make himself feel anything else from sad.

Dongho darted his hesitant eyes off and around the interior of the car, he had become so tired after tonight that he had not even realized to start it up. 

While they were still on the topic of dating, Dongho wanted to ask Minhyun some more things, but he had figured that maybe by now his best friend had gotten dead sick of hearing about the girl he liked, especially now that he had his very own.

“Go ahead, don’t hold it in.” Minhyun could easily read Donghos face whenever he was struggling to say something, but couldn’t bring it up, “Is this about her?” 

“Yeah.” Dongho nodded, “I want to take her somewhere, just her and me. I am trying to load up my courage for now.”

“That’s impressive.” Minhyun mocked the other male, he was getting fairly quick at this.

“Oh, just shut up.” Dongho laughed, “Would it be okay, if it was just a simple car date?” His voice became more nervous.

“I mean, I’d pick her up to drive her where she needs to go, and maybe we’d get food on our way? Not weird right?” Dongho made it sound so overly sophisticated for no reason at all.

“Isn’t that what we have been doing up to now?” Minhyun laughed at his friend for not fully thinking this through, after Dongho realized he began to laugh too.

 

After only a short time actually spent on the road, Minhyun began to jolt awake from one of his pleasant daydreams, as Dongho completely unannounced had driven off from the main road into a private parking area and just parked there.

Dongho yawned, turning off the engine. “Yo, you seriously gonna sleep right now?” Minhyun couldn’t believe his eyes, this sleepyhead was actually about to snooze halfway there from Minhyuns home.

“Sorry, just give me like thirty minutes. I really can’t drive like this.” He had nothing, but apologies for his friend, but his face still looked smug. It sure looked like this jerk had nowhere to be tomorrow, unlike someone. 

“Can I join you at least?” Minhyun called out to his friend who had gotten out of car to switch to the backseat, it was enticingly roomier there.

“Sure, only if you act as my pillow.” Donghos joking voice sounded far from Minhyun after he had slammed the door shut. “Don’t mind if I do.” The other guy aggressively spat back at him, breaking out of the front seat.

The shortest was already leaning his head back, eyes closed, while the other male was clumsily crawling into the back with him, doing the one thing he knew how to do best, talking to wake everyone up.

“Is this where you’re going if the date is successful?” He joked, making Dongho sit straight.

The other male got the back seat innuendo, but it sounded more like a joke advice more than a serious one. “There is a lot of kissing room back here.” Dongho had to agree.

“Kissing?” Minhyun wanted to laugh, his ideas had been more advanced than only just that. He had finally settled in his seat at least.

The second the conversation cut off and they both became quiet at each other, Donghos eyes began to shoot from side to side, as if he was looking for a possible witness about to catch him committing the most heinous crime of all crimes.

Out of nowhere, Dongho suddenly pounced towards at Minhyun, tackling him in-between the seat cushions and the door. “Hey, you punk!” Minhyun warned him, breaking into a surprised laugh.

“You are right,” Dongho smiled back, “She could probably fit in here like this in your place.” he was hovering over his friend in a rather quite intimate position right now, that Hwang most definitely did not to mind.

“Except, I am only three times as tall as her.” Minhyun drew his chin up to point it closer to Dongho. 

That man man was too tired to care about this position being weird, plus he even got to hug the poor bastard for once, considering himself the real winner.

Dongho grinned his face closer to Minhyuns than ever, causing the taller male to think up all sorts of ideas. Minhyun imagined what would it be like if he went ahead and just kissed Dongho right now, and how many things it would ruin and destroy if he did that. The idea of everything crashing down at once standing in arms reach at this point seemed thrilling and exciting.

“Aren’t you gonna get off me already?” Minhyun complained to his friend who only flexed his arms tighter in spite, “Nope, I like hugging ya’.”

“Oh?” Minhyun made an interested sound which only earned him a grumpy frown from the other man, who then danced his fingers through Minhyuns clothes in attempt to find spots where it would tickle the most as punishment.

The two laughed and then calmed, but that bastard still wasn’t letting go of Minhyun and wasn’t planning on doing so either.

The boy set his knees on either side of his friend, getting suspiciously close to sitting in the mans lap. “Strap in.” Dongho joked, desperate to hug his intoxicated friend tighter. He apparently loved giving hugs these days, but for him hugging his tall friend was the best. 

Minhyun replied with a quiet laugh, “You are such a jerk.”

The shortest then reached far above Minhyun to grab something from behind the back seat. For only few seconds his wide tight chest would stretch long right up to Minhyuns face. The other male gulped, eyes carefully peeled to what was placed in front of him to capture the moment.

The guy was always got sweaty quite easily, he probably didn’t notice it, but this up close Minhyun could definitely tell its there. The tall male used to think that this stuff was gross and unclean, but for some reason, not with Dongho.

Shorter male snapped back, pulling a sleeping mask to go over his friends eyes that he had left at the back for a rare occurrence such as this one. Minhyun looked so funny with it forced over his face, he was clueless why it had gone so dark all of a sudden.

It took Minhyun a while to take the darn thing off, as it had tangled around his earlobes, but by the time he was free Dongho was already back to sitting, calmly smiling at his friend and closing his eyes shut.

Minhyun watched as the boys eyelashes drew to a close, his tensed up smiling muscles became more relaxed, and soon he had truly gone quiet asleep. The space became dead silent, and when Minhyun realized it, a wave of sudden unexplained sadness had again come over him.

He loved Dongho, but the man was never meant to know. It would only make things difficult, and it was definite that Dongho would only flee from him if he found out.

Minhyun could only sit and watch as the man he wanted was about to ask out the girl of his dreams before his very eyes, and there was nothing he could do to make it stop. But even so after all, he only wished for his best friend to be happy.

In grief, Minhyun stared through the front window of the car, small blips of light coming from the headlights of other cars in the area would shine light into the dark car for a while and then fade off, up until the next one would pass and repeat.

After long minutes of staring at nothing, his hand had already quietly sneaked to hold Donghos in his sleep, all while he tried not to cry. He held the boys fingers in a desperate, tight squeeze and wished he could do more to him in his sleep, like sneak a small kiss to the edge of his unsuspecting lips or wrap his hands around the waist for an affectionate hug. Dongho would definitely hate him for it, so he never did it. The boy closed his eyes and pretended to sleep until the time would be up.

 

The invitation for Minhyun to stay over at Kangs apartment came naturally, his house was closer from here, and he was still tired to drive for much longer anyway.

Although, Minhyun kept turning him down, insisting he should not invade Donghos space, the other male always disagreed. He had been to Minhyuns house so many times by now that it felt uncomfortable not to return the favor.

Minhyun fell asleep as soon as his body met the sheets of Donghos bed, his body simply gave out from crying back in the car. Not to disturb him, Dongho had laid beside him on the floor.

The next morning however, Dongho had quickly forgotten why and how he had ended up on the floor rather than his own bed. He hopped up there, surprised to find Minhyun happily rolling around in his dirty sheets like a cat stretching out of a nap.

“Good morning sleepy.” Minhyun threw winks at him, or maybe it was just the crust in his eyes. 

Dongho suddenly remembered the night before, so Minhyun being in his bed, dressed in just briefs and an undershirt like this was his second house, made some sense. “Nice seeing you around. You come here often?” Dongho started the morning with a joke.

The house owner then rolled his body into his bed to reclaim it. He was so big compared to Minhyuns frail frame, but the two of them somehow made a fit without kicking.

Minhyun snickered, “I wish.” Causing Dongho began to laugh at his friend and waving a finger of judgement, “Hey, your girlfriend would get jealous over it.”

The tall male decided to roll with the tale again, even if there actually was no girlfriend. As long as he could use that excuse to continue to hide his growing crush on Dongho, while still being close to him, he was fine with pretending.

 

The hours at work were slow, but luckily time before the lunch break was almost right there. Nervous fingernails clicked the desk, shifting eyes followed the pointers of the office lobby wall mounted clock inching dangerously close towards that exact desired minute of the day.

“Hey, Nayoung!” A young female right around the same age as her friend had jumped at her from behind with the intention of giving her a scare.

“Woah, Eunwoo?” Nayoung smiled it off, pretending to pout after her friend still wouldn’t stop giggling.

“What’s up with you?” The intrusive female then nudged her friend to speak, “And don’t try to make things up, I just saw you over here making those sad puppy eyes.”

“It’s nothing really, just been thinking about stuff lately.” Nayoung made a deep sigh after her sentence.

“It’s about your ex isn’t it? You two getting back together?” Eunwoo grimaced at the thought of that, Nayoung shared the same sentiment. “Nope, never.”

“But I’ve been thinking about maybe starting anew.” She winked at the other, making Eunwoo excitedly pull in her neck to her shoulders to giggle low.

“You got anyone in mind?” Eunwoo sneaked closer to her friend, her voice much quieter, eyes full of curiosity, and a very brave finger pointing at herself.

Nayoung shrugged, she didn’t really know about anyone in particular in mind. She preferred going on blind dates rather than to set herself up with friends or co-workers, that sort of thing always ended up getting awkward once it didn’t work out.

However, this time her friend insisted she should at least try going for someone at the office, pointing out how many cute employees had found job here recently.

They ended up going down a list of names with Eunwoo mentioning herself at least three times, until Nayoungs judging stare became scary enough for her to stop. Eventually, the name of Dongho was bought up, yet it was quickly dismissed before the next dozen were put up instead.

 

It was one of those cold nights where Minhyun had to sit at the bus station waiting to go home from work instead of traveling by Donghos car. The guy seemed more busy these days, his work and new friends were the biggest excuse. But then again, he wouldn’t even text that much either. Minhyun thought to himself, was he perhaps just expecting too much?

Without a clear reason in his head, he worried thinking that maybe Dongho had changed his opinion about Minhyun, maybe he plain and simple just didn’t want to hang out with him that much anymore. 

Minhyun was overthinking it, because he was clearly just very smitten about that male, that’s all. Although, thinking about him was something he could simply not drop, and not being next to him is what had caused for all of these cruel ideas to pop up in the first place.

He had arrived home, but this place didn’t feel like a home at all to him today. His quiet living room felt odd and abandoned now that it lacked that mans laughter. Minhyun missed him.

The persistent fear that one way or another everyone Minhyun liked would leave constantly stalked him, Dongho included. And when it would eventually happen, then the sad man would be forced to return to the loneliness that had grown to feel like his only true home.

He turned on a heater and the kettle at the same time, taking a lounge in his favorite beanbag chair and think what to do for the remaining few hours of the day in order not to waste them. The next minute and two passed like that of him just thinking about nothing at all.

The kettle switched off with a click. Tonight he had craved for that poisonous brew of coffee, that would prevent him from getting a wink of sleep tonight. He had no clue why would opt to drink it even if he hated it so much, other than just because he wanted to do something rash and purposely harmful, simply just because he could.

Minhyun was already breaking open his next packet of some low grade instant coffee he had picked up in bulk on his way home. But then he jolted in reaction to a thud, making the spoon in his hands clink against the rim of the mug. 

It was not just his imagination, another loud punch flew to the door of his apartment coming from outside. The stranger wasn’t calling out or ringing the buzzer, just endlessly throwing and kicking.

It wasn’t unusual for Minhyuns exes to crawl back here wanting for more without being invited. He moved closer to the door already preparing for the worst.

“Who is it this time?” He asked brave to the person outside his door, in return receiving that all too familiar groan he had heard at least a hundred times before.

“It’s me, let me in.” A voice resembling Donghos yawned from outside, but he didn’t sound right. And when Minhyun pulled the door open it all became way too clear.

The stench of booze hit him right on the nose, Dongho probably had no clue how he had ended up here, but now that he was he obviously wanted to get in.

The little devil pushed in with brute force, falling forwards to catch around Minhyuns ribcage into a wide bear hug, “Hwaang!” He cheered for his old pal.

“You are drunk, did something happen?” Minhyun worried because this was not in character. Dongho was acting all happy and giggly now, but only because the beer had already twisted his mind. Perhaps something bad had happened for him to end up like this.

Dongho opened his drooping eyes as just tiny slithers, chuckling at Minhyun for no apparent reason, “No, you are drunk.”

Minhyuns expression became more tormented, “Dongho, why are you here?” He felt that this was a mistake.

“What is it? Ya’ saying I can’t come and see you anymore? I haven’t seen your nasty mug in so looong!” He whined like a child, Minhyun had to put him somewhere. For now the couch would do.

Dongho was so touchy for hugs right now, that he wouldn’t let Minhyun get out of this one all that easy, his arms hooked stiff around the opponents waist. The tall boy was willing to sit with the sweaty male to at least hear an explanation.

“Why have you done this? You absolute idiot.” Minhyun feared that his friend had been badly influenced by no other than himself.

“I needed some courage.” He made a hiccup, “I finally did it, I asked her out on a date via a text.” Dongho smiled proud, “No reply yet.”

Minhyun was baffled at himself for getting worried out of his mind for the guy, who was taking such silly decisions. “Just promise me that you won’t do this again.” Dongho hated that his friend was starting to nag like his own mom.

“Oh, shut it. We should be celebrating!” He tried to stand himself up, taking Minhyun by the hands to pull him into a dance. However, the tallest sat the other back down by himself this time instead.

“Did you seriously walk all the way here on foot?” He helped Dongho settle from his wobble, too tipsy to stand. The short man flinched a pleased smirk, lips sealed tight.

“You dummy, you big dumb idiot.” Minhyun began to smile, holding Donghos puffy swollen cheeks in his hands. The boy smiled back just as wide.

Kang really deserved getting smacked at the back of his head for not taking this situation seriously. But Minhyun was in relief, at least he had not done something way more stupid while drunk.

Minhyun let his friend drop onto the couch, thinking what to do with him next now that the guy was forced under his care. Meanwhile, Dongho was already fast asleep, making the living room feel less empty when filled with his cute snorts and snores.

“I’ll go find something we can pull over you for now.” Minhyun spoke to the sleeping body, his voice kept low to not disturb him.

Not even only a minute after Minhyun had gone, Dongho was already awake and walking around the apartment and causing a ruckus. Minhyun walked from his bedroom with the largest set of pajamas he could find for his friend, accidentally stumbling upon Dongho with his head stuck deep into the freezer in kitchen.

“Dongho?” He jolted, surprised to see him awake so soon. The shortest turned his head out from the cold space, “Minhyun, you won’t believe it. There is beer in my fridge.”

Minhyun clenched up his fists, “That is my fridge. Dongho, do you even know where you are?” His friend shook his head, looking around in awe.

“Why—why am I at your house?” He looked at Minhyun as if he had been abducted by the guy, only causing the tallest to frown even further.

The tallest sighed again and lead Dongho back to sitting down. He undressed the male himself, not that he had a choice not to. Dongho had been wailing his arms unable to remove his own soiled shirt, squirming to grab and pull at the fabric over his chest without a clue on how to remove it by himself anymore.

Minhyun didn’t peek at more than what was necessary when Dongho became bare. His friend was helpless by himself, so Mnhyun had to be absolutely serious about making him comfortable above all else.

It took them almost over ten minutes to hoop all limbs through the right sleeves, somewhere midway through it though, Dongho went limp falling asleep. Minhyun exhaled a hard breath, letting the large body slip from his tug after he was finally done.

“Ung.” Dongho made a sleepy noise, laying flat on his cheek in a position less than favorable for the muscles in his neck.

Minhyun sighed, and after a whole lot of convincing himself to not leave the guy out here like this for the whole night as punishment, he pounced onto the same couch himself to try and maneuver the large elbows closer to the pillow where the big guy should be.

Dongho felt the foreign arms tickle him, and in midst of a drunken daze mistook them for an attack, clumsily waving and trashing at his alleged attacker to back off.

Minhyun hissed when his spine drove raw against the couch, back of his shirt rolled up, while the large body had somehow struggled enough to climb on top. But the guy soon had given up anyway, dropping his face into the fold of Minhyuns stomach.

The tall boy laid idle in this position, clueless as to how such a clumsy thing could have happened to him today. Dongho now slept peacefully head right on his tummy, and Minhyun didn’t want to move an inch and just save this moment. Maybe he could just let it happen for a minute or so, that would be okay, Dongho was drunk and he would not remember either way. Minhyun had convinced himself.

The drunken man quickly began to dream, of course only seeing the pretty Nayoung in his dreams. In this dream, he was just this close to her, so close he could almost inhale her. She was looking straight at him with those pretty doe eyes, full of smiles while inviting Dongho to finally come to her.

“Ughh – Nayoung.” Dongho babbled in his sleep, making Minhyun twitch awake from his short lived bliss. That was the name of the woman Minhyun had wished to hear the least. And at this point he was now really starting to despise her.

Dongho put some strength into his elbows to pull himself further up, up Minhyuns body that was. “Nayoung—” He called out to the figure in his dream as he moved towards it.

Minhyun started to panic realizing the sweaty drunk was mistaking him for someone else, he caught a glimpse of the boys partially parted eyes looking up, they were all dim and empty.

Because of how bad this was, Minhyuns brain had absolutely skipped over a second or two, his flashing eyes wide at how quickly Donghos breath had already traveled up to his earlobe.

“Dongho, I am not her.” He tried to yelp out, before his final syllable had turned into a pleasant mewl when feeling the boys wet lips press the skin of his neck, slide and chew in soft places.

“—Nayoung.” Dongho repeated, in a low husky voice that made Minhyun tremble. The shortest continued to kiss the same area, sucking onto his friends neck like it was a treat. But in his own mind, right then he was obviously kissing someone else.

Minhyun understood that fact, and his heart hurt in the worst ways imaginable whenever Dongho would repeat that strangers name and not his. However the tallest knew he didn’t deserve this kiss to begin with, it was never his. He had to move Dongho away, make him realize that he was doing this to the wrong person. But this felt so good, Minhyun couldn’t push himself to make this stop.

The tallest agonizingly threw his head back and moaned from a wider bite Dongho had made into his neck, “I told you, I am not her.” Minhyun still repeated, maybe Dongho could have heard him this time, if only his voice wasn’t sounding a little louder than a breath. Minhyun started to realize how little effort he was actually putting into shoving Dongho aside.

The boys spine arched, and eyes shot open feeling Donghos knuckles drag against the naked skin of his friends stomach, reaching to remove a shirt in middle of his drunk and confused state. 

As much as Minhyun had wanted for this to continue, this was not right. Dongho was drunk, simply confused and not fully in his right mind, “Wait, hang on Dongho.” 

Minhyuns desperate voice seemed to finally gain the other mans attention, he looked directly into the eyes of the distressed person before him.

“Minhyun, It’s Minhyun. Not Nayoung.” The tall male begged to explain to the other half responsive man.

“Minhyun?” Dongho repeated, although it didn’t seem like any of the information fed to him was actually going to his brain.

“Yes, It’s me Minhyun.” The boy calmly answered, watching Dongho wobble for a bit before he mumbled again. “Minhyun.” A voice of relief rolled out of Donghos mouth.

Just when the tallest had though his friend had finally regained his senses, Dongho went to continue what he was doing before, only now repeating his name instead.

Minhyun couldn’t move, his body had frozen helplessly watching Dongho slide down to his flat tummy and lift his shirt back up by his nose to kiss there, all while calling his best friends name out over and over again.

The male had to now aggressively repeat to himself that his friend would only be doing this if he were drunk, that was the only reason he did it. But all of that reasonable thought flew right out the other ear once he felt the man lay the softest, most gentle kisses across his stomach. They weren’t just drunken smears, they were calculated, caring and affectionate.

Minhyun never felt this way with any of his past one night stands, they were always rough and selfish doing whatever fulfilled only their own lustful needs. That’s why Dongho was so different, his touches were much more kind.

“Minhyun.” Every time Dongho said it in that sultry rare voice, it would make the tallest absolutely blank out on the spot. Even though this was immoral, Minhyun couldn’t help himself to not get turned on by this. 

Dongho reached higher, his wet tongue peeking out from his mouth disconnected from Minhyuns body at a point where the boys chest began to arch up against the armrest of the couch from the back. The front of Minhyuns shirt had rolled up and over Donghos eyes blocking his vision, but that didn’t stop him either.

Hwang tried to mouth to Dongho a word to make him stop, but his lips sounded something entirely different. It was clear that his brain was starting to melt.

“Dongho, lower.” He begged him in a tormented voice, his head arched away far back. It didn’t look like Dongho could hear him, and even if he did, he was just doing his own thing the whole time.

Maybe it was just his imagination, but little by little by responding accordingly to Minhyuns squirms, the male would start to pull his pretty plump lips downwards, right to the edge of Minhyuns waistband.

The tallest pushed his friend straight away realizing he didn’t want any of this, sitting up and letting the body slap flat into his shoulder instead. It didn’t take seconds until his friend was already miraculously asleep again.

Minhyun blamed himself for letting this happen or ever take place. It was all his fault, he told himself.

“Minh—hyun?” Dongho whined in his sleep, but this time in a slightly different voice. The other male hesitated to speak back to him, so Dongho got to him first, “I had a bad dream.”

“I bet you did.” Minhyun combed through his friends hair with fingers, foolishly smiling at him. The short male purposely leaned his scalp into the palm of his friend, trying to earn the pet.

Minhyun quickly sent his gaze away from looking Dongho in the face to keep himself from wanting to ever go back into those clueless touches.

He then carried his unexpected visitor to his bed, putting him to sleep. Minhyun intended to go back to the couch for the night instead, but Kang would cling to him, rendering it as a futile effort to try and escape.

The tallest knew he would become miserable laying next to the man he wanted to have, but couldn’t have. But he did so anyway, as long as Dongho was happy, he was too. Or at least that is what he kept telling himself.

The dust twirling around the room in the light of the night lamp would slowly settle, before in a flash, a simple click of a button had sent the room into a void of darkness.

Why did this guy always insisted on hugs, Dongho was really a fool, Minhyun thought to himself, doing his best to ignore his friend playing the role of a big spoon.

Dongho was laying down still, but even after long minutes his eyes were still open rotating around in their sockets, he had been clearly wide awake despite him being desperate for a tucking in just a minute ago, causing Hwang to become annoyed again.

“Hey, Hwang?” Donghos voice came out of the dark. “Why are you still up?” Minhyun was tired and at this point even thankful for not drinking that cup of coffee. Drunk Dongho was harder to take care for than a disobedient child.

Dongho spoke in a more sober voice, “I dunno.” He added, “I feel strange.” He had been making a lot of sound by shifting in bed while they were talking, even rhythmically raising his chest.

“What’s the matter?” Minhyun reviewed the face of his friend who looked like he had just remembered to feed the cat back at home or something.

The tip of Minhyuns nose shot up and an imaginary bulb lit up above his head. His eyes darted down to where the both of Donghos hands were, making rounds of presses into his own lap.

“Fuck,” He hissed, “Why the hell now?” Dongho grunt, displeased to be placed in such immature position seemingly out of nowhere.

Minhyun didn’t want to mention drunken actions of his friend from a while ago that had probably been the right cause. He theorized that Dongho had probably gotten himself heated from pretending his best friend was Nayoung, and getting their names all mixed up. But at least now Minhyun was safe that the guy had no recollection of that embarrassing part anymore.

Dongho freed his palms from his new shorts to look, but it was way visible already and it was obviously not going away. Just why did this have to happen right now, in front of Hwang of all people. He was going to make fun of him for life now.

Minhyun joked to lighten up the mood, “Need a hand?” Dongho didn’t laugh with him.

By now Dongho was fully aware he was fucked drunk, keeping that in mind, if his best friend did in fact help him out, he probably wouldn’t even remember the half of it tomorrow, and that was the best part. He could ask for a free handjob from a friend with no repercussions.

“Would you even be okay with that?” Dongho avoided, but did not fully shy away from the idea. Dongho believed that because they were both dudes, being comfortable with each others dicks should just come naturally.

Minhyun still joked around just to make his friend less embarrassed, although still unsure if his friend was being serious, “Yo, it’s no big deal. It’s basically like giving out a handshake!”

“I am being for real right now, can you give me a handjob?” Dongho sounded very pressuring about wanting one. And he didn’t even sound so drunk anymore.

Minhyun paused to think, “I don’t mind.” He was okay as long as it stays platonic. Of course, the tall male was attracted to Dongho for sure, but it wasn’t like he was going to throw himself claws first at Dongho the instant he saw a lesser tanned patch of skin. 

“But are you certain?” Minhyun asked again, just in case. He didn’t want his friend to break out in tears of regret as soon as his friend would start riding his hand up and down the shaft.

“Well, I guess if it is you then it’s okay?” Dongho didn’t know what exactly to expect from this either. 

Minhyun raised one of his thin half-brows, he didn’t predict for Dongho to be trusting him this much. Maybe he really was getting desperate from being single for this long.

“I mean, it’s gotta be better than my own hand, that’s for sure.” He chuckled to himself, absolutely determined to put himself in the hands of his best friend, “Lets make it quick then.”

Minhyun went right to help his friend uncover his underwear, and for the first time ever he came face to face with the guys dick, flushed in a pretty tanned color and making enticing eye contact with him. 

Only in the last second he remembered that he was not meant to look at something he could get attracted to. He told himself it was nothing special, not a big deal. He had given countless handjobs to dudes that never meant a thing.

Minhyun didn’t look to waste any time further, “Alright, how much spit do you need?” Dongho grimaced in slight disgust, “Just do as is.”

The shortest was starting to sound awfully impatient, but his reasoning was fairly understandable. As soon as Minhyun held him things took off quickly. Dongho jolted, not expecting to actually feel that much of Minhyuns hand. It certainly felt way different when the hand was not his.

Minhyun backed to feel the other male more with the tips of his fingers before starting, that movement was what made the other man gasp in slight surprise. Minhyun shot his eyes up to see if everything was okay, and Dongho reassured him.

“Just keep going.” He commended him, and Minhyun began to drive his palm tight around Donghos length, circling his thumb up along the side. The short male reacted straight away, even preparing to swing his own hand over his mouth if needed.

Minhyuns began to sway more accurately with Donghos breaths, they had become quick and rabid under his touch. The tallest tried not to think about it a lot, but how could he, when he could get high just by looking at Donghos face right now alone.

Dongho had shut his eyes and quietly then groaned under Minhyuns hand, by now he was probably imagining some girl before him instead. The thought of that made Hwang become sad again.

But Minhyun could also feel Donghos heat reach him, his arms and neck felt that warmth that the body of his friend was radiating off. 

Donghos body had began to feel hot like fire, he was steaming, and thus Minhyun began to sweat himself too, but then something happened that had made him curse under his breath. After promising himself not to, he still began feeling turned on from this too.

“I’ll do yours.” Dongho insisted, after seeing Minhyuns cheeks flush all red. He didn’t need to know why Minhyun was getting hard right now as well, only that he should just return the favor, no questions asked.

Minhyun wanted to protest fearing his feelings would return and get into the way again if he let Dongho too close, but as soon as the guy reached for his briefs, in the heat of the moment, Minhyun decided to just fuck it and let his friend do whatever he wished to him. This would be the last time he would be touching it like this ever anyways.

Dongho gave him a few quick strokes and then interrupted, pulling his knees over Minhyuns to be intimate. “Like this, together.” He suggested, cupping both dicks into one palm.

They were lined up, glistening and squeezing tight together under Minhyuns small pale fingers. Dongho placed his own bigger hands over Minhyun and when ready the two men began to jerk at the same time. The friction of each others skin grinding so close is what had made their hands stroke out of sync, but even like that it still felt alright.

Dongho was making such a delighted face right then, his eyes had been closed, so he could not see how hard Minhyun must of been staring at him. 

All the small gulps and groans began to pile Minhyuns throat, right now he didn’t want to make sound, afraid his friend would find hearing another mans voice extremely unattractive at the given moment. As well as, the awful idea of accidentally moaning Donghos name out loud during this was making Minhyuns whole body shudder in pain.

Dongho speed up his hand movements as fast as one hand on two warm dicks pressing would go. Minhyun could feel Dongho twitch and pulse next to him, and he began to throb back.

Dongho began to see his end soon, his nerves were already burning up, pricking with small jolts of what felt like electricity. And after he was given enough attention by Minhyuns hand, he came inside of others palm, flooding both of the hugging dicks with wet. 

Minhyuns breaths became loud whimpers, and his thin hand slid gracefully back across entire curved length, while his spine wanted to yank away. He began to use his wet now fingers to make it go quicker, and soon just like Dongho, he was seeing stars.

Minhyun gasped out in his loud voice, parting his lips to spill many moans, all caused by his hot body throbbing and muscles angrily convulsing. 

Dongho froze in time watching Minhyun make such a lewd face a mere breath away from his own. It was strange, but for some reason he couldn’t take his eyes off from him. 

Was this the face that so many women in the office had spoken so highly of, Dongho had asked himself.

He had stopped staring at the other boy, once coming to realize that his own stomach had now been covered in a web of white. 

“Oh shit, fuck sorry.” Dongho cursed while trying to wipe the guys hands off in the sheets. His best friend being dirtied by him somehow felt wrong, too far.

“It’s fine!” Minhyun rushed in to apologize, his expression already showing fear of being rejected or dismissed by his best friend.

The realization of what they had done did not fully hit them up till now, and looking at each others worried faces only further made them anxious. It shouldn’t be weird, they hadn’t done anything wrong by doing this. Yet why did it feel so strange afterwards. 

Dongho became scared of the idea of seeing his best friend differently now, but he could feel it kick in. This guy was so important to him, he didn’t want to ruin their friendship. But right now he couldn’t even look him in the eyes anymore.

The guy ran to return to his clothes out of stress, not knowing what much else to do now that they had done it. Minhyun followed him, until the last button was fixed and they could not stretch this awkward moment of aftertaste for any longer. 

Tallest spoke first, he did so in this weak trembling voice, “You aren’t upset, right?” Minhyun made sure to know if Dongho wasn’t going in a weird state of realization and regret. Of course, he didn’t want his best friend to be disgusted or hate him.

“No, no way.” Dongho wiped his sweat, “I could never be upset with you.” He spoke in this high masculine voice, trying to normalize their most recent act as much as possible.

Minhyun could tell he was only doing so not to make himself feel awkward, despite feeling weird with touching another male as a confident straight man. He knew Dongho didn’t really mean it, but it made Minhyun feel wronged, like he was abnormal for liking his male friend and became reminded of how unlovable he was. Because Dongho ever loved him as simply a friend.

Dongho calmed him only to make him feel better about the act he had seen as nothing more than an emotionless, quick relief. 

“Dongho—” Minhyun accidentally whimpered a voice sounding close to a sob, by now his heart was actually starting to break. The realization was so cruel, Dongho would never love him the same, and now that he thought about it some more, he came to the conclusion that perhaps no one would.

Dongho followed his sad face, becoming morbidly scared himself, now believing that he had done something wrong. He started to stand up in bed, raising onto his knees to stand taller than Minhyun. But yet his friend refused to continue speaking, he couldn’t say a thing at all, staring at Dongho while his eyes looked like they were about to tear.

Dongho put his hand over Minhyuns shoulder to soothe him, do something to make him stop looking at him with such big crying eyes. Then he bought his palm up to Minhyuns cheek, watching it turn to red under his new touch.

The tallest knew his friend could see him blush, probably thinking to himself why this guy was acting so weird, so Minhyun decided to just spill. 

“Dongho, I lied about having a girlfriend.” The tallest randomly confessed, much to the other mans confusion, “Huh?”

“The person I like—its you. I like you.” Minhyun spoke. 

It seemed so silly to just come out clean and admit it at this very exact crazy moment. But it was something he could no longer bear to cover up, every time he saw Donghos face now, he just wanted to scream it and admit to it all as if he was confessing to a crime.

Dongho would probably leave him now, feel weirded out or scared of Minhyun, he assumed. But the tall man had already learned to accept that very likely outcome, in his opinion it was better for Kang to leave now than later. Minhyun didn’t want to get attached even more than this, he was at his breaking point already, so if this didn’t happen now then later it would only destroy him.

Dongho stared at him, not reacting to it at all. It was like he had blanked out, he not heard the important words at all. He looked lost and confused, but Minhyun didn’t blame him.

“I like you Dongho.” He repeated in the same desperate voice, never breaking his eye contact to prove what he said was genuine.

Dongho was hesitating to believe something like that, how could Minhyun ever like him, it was impossible. Not only that, but out of all people he could pick for himself, he choose Dongho, the biggest loser on earth. 

If only Minhyun had said such a thing sooner, maybe it would have helped him feel less insecure. However, right now the alcohol was making it easier to believe absolutely anything he was told. 

Minhyun could tell Dongho was already staring at him in pity, and out of that pity, mixed with all else than had just happened in-between them, the guy would lean into a very rash idea.

Without thinking, the next second Dongho had pressed his lips up against Minhyuns, his arm reaching to hold the male in place by the back of his neck. The tallest parted his lips upon impact, letting Dongho have his way with him. 

The bitter aftertaste of booze was still on his tongue as he kissed him. But It made sense, Dongho would never dare if he was fully sober. Yet Minhyun was in such a state of fulfillment, his silly starving mind just ignored the fact and his hands raised to Donghos shoulders, happy to hold him.

Dongho had lost it, he wasn’t even himself anymore while kissing his best friend, but at least this time he was fully aware it was Minhyun. But the other male wouldn’t trust it easily, believing that none of this mattered to the guy anyways, because he loved someone else.

It was a sloppy and open mouthed kiss in stretched awkward angles, and the two fought back and forth. Minhyun was pushed, falling backwards in bed under the weight of the larger male trying to top him. He gasped from loss, desperate to regain his friends lips on him again. And accordingly Dongho dove straight at him, to instead kiss down the boys long pretty neck. 

The mans tongue was rough, dabbing into the soft skin hard enough to almost make it feel close to a sandpaper burn. Minhyun moan out loud, watching flashes of color blind and ruin his vision, as his friend went in round abusing the same sore spot on his neck.

His voice became constant, a stream of increasingly louder and broken whimpers that poured over his lips one after another. Dongho didn’t know what to think hearing such sounds out of the mouth from his friend, but his body responded to them very well. 

He went to litter his friends naked neck with gentler plump kisses, nudging his lips to the far edge of Minhyuns shirt collar where he could get to get to the soft shoulders, that were tickled by the brush of his lips.

“Dongho.” Minhyun tried to push the other boy aside for a bit, he was feeling a lot of things and feeling them too soon, his body unable to accept this much intensity all at once. Now his heart was pumping hard in his chest, and his lower body began squirming in painful ways to adjust.

Dongho let him sit, but not for too long. His eyes had lit with flames hearing his own name be called in that voice, it confused him so much, but it felt good. He wanted to see how much patient Minhyun could be, how more he could take. The fact that he was the cause of his friends demise was weirdly rewarding, even if he wasn’t actually attracted to him.

Minhyun was still sensitive from the earlier, so his nerve endings were back on fire when Dongho bought back his slow touches. He whined his head to the opposite side of the pillow, but he didn’t really want it to end either. The shortest switched to the other side of his friends neck, sucking his reddened lips into Minhyuns dry skin until it would throb.

Minhyun arched his spine into an upwards curve, pulling away from the floor of the bed to gasp. His neck was glistening all marble like under the low light of the night coming in from the outside. The smears of droll on his skin felt painfully cold when Dongho would abandon his neck for other places to bully.

The drunken guy found his hips starting to grind up against his best friend, he didn’t fully understand what he was doing, but it just felt like the right thing to do, as if his body was guiding him towards it. Minhyun made pained whines which each dry thrust, too manly layers out fabrics were in the way to ever make it good, but at the same time the painful friction was exciting.

Either way, being dry humped was probably the best he could have, because there was no way Dongho would ever go as far to actually sleep with him. That man was only tolerating all of this because he was drunk and semi-turned on, other than that his friend stood no chance, Minhyun convinced himself thinking it was better that way.

Dongho continued to grind his hips over and across Minhyuns clothed junk just like he would do in a bed with a woman, Minhyuns anatomy just didn’t fully register for him, maybe for the better. The guy felt his body heat up and stomach clench again when his friend kept tormenting him, the touches already felt endless as is, Minhyun was drowning.

“Are you—are you gonna leave after this?” The tall spoke nonsense, his eyes blinded by a mosaic filter that did not let him see past further than the tip of his own nose.

“Why would I leave?” Dongho stopped to ask, his voice full of breath. Minhyun felt his shoulders shrink closer together listening to the mans sweet words, even if his heart was only in his throat.

Minhyuns hugged around the man, pulling himself as close as he could get, lips pressed to the shell of his friends ear, “Don’t leave me, okay?”

“I won’t, not ever.” Dongho made a deep throat sound that hardly sounded like a laugh, but that drunken tone had returned to his voice, Minhyun was afraid his friend wouldn’t stay true to his own words.

“Promise?” He asked, despite knowing that wasn’t possible. “I promise.” Dongho replied quick.

Minhyun slid forward, folding his legs to sit into the lap of his friend. The fabric of his briefs stretched thin across his backside, riding on his friends lap because it was the best he could get. He moaned and cried while gliding back and forth. 

Dongho would hiss and groan under him, but then shut himself up by kissing the other male into bliss. Minhyun wasn’t so uncomfortably sensitive in places anymore, and as long as he kept focusing on the moment, and not what would happen after, the sting gradually became joy.

Dongho listened carefully to his friends lovely voice, but over time it became more and more distant, the man was starting to drift out of it. It was the same for Minhyun as well, the world around him slowly became darker, everything became far. Eventually only Donghos strong hands holding him stayed real, everything else just felt like a pleasant daydream.

 

The shine of the morning sun was bright in the room by the time Minhyun woke. Dongho laid beside him turned to his side and facing away at the blindingly bright window, his build blocking Minhyun from direct sunlight behind him. It felt like the boy was still in his sweet dream, and that none of this could exist outside of his head.

The tallest closed his eyes for only one happy second, and by the time he woke up again it was already past noon. The same spot where Dongho had just slept was now left eerily empty, the only remainder left behind was the shape of his body pressed in the messy sheets.

He was gone, just like Minhyun had predicted. The guy had collected all his shit and left before ever seeing his friend, if they could still be friends after this, wake up to give him a conversation.

The tall boy wasn’t too sad, or at least he liked to pretend that he wasn’t. Perhaps now he could get back to the life he had just before he met that boy, even better, no longer did he have to listen to some nonsense about some woman he fancied. Minhyun supposed it was better this way.

He checked his phone just in case, not like he expected any texts of apologies or regretful goodbyes at this point, because Dongho certainly didn’t seem like the guy who would rather apologize over text than in person. But he still clung to the hope that the guy might of just been too tired to deal with this at the moment, and would come back later.

Minhyun quickly found out that he had been locked out from all ways of contacting Dongho. So that about summed it all up for him, that man was actually out of his life now.

 

Dongho drove Nayoung in his car, the two would exchange awkward smiles whenever the conversations would cut off, but that happened rarely now, they were both very talkative.

He literally couldn’t believe it, it was their first date and it felt so surreal. This whole time he thought he was just a shy, nervous loser, but it turned out Nayoung didn’t see him as such at all.

She had happily agreed to hang out with the giggly and sharp tongued guy, Dongho. Everyone loved this new guy working here, and he agreed to hang out practically every time he got called out. Nayoungs friends would always try to get the guy to drink when they went out, and always failed. Since then she had her eyes on him for a while.

Dongho bought her to a dance club he had previously visited with someone else once before. Just as he thought, she was impressed that someone had for once bought her to some place fun. So at least she wasn’t dressed up in a flashy outfit only to be bought to an ice rink.

The two sat close to the bar, just talking and eating snacks, but not much else. It was only their first date, so Dongho obviously didn’t expect to be holding her hand by the end of the night.

“I didn’t know you’d like these types of places, Kang?” She spoke in a teasing voice, Dongho chuckled, “I absolutely do not, but I gotta impress you somehow right?” He spoke honestly, making a joke a of it.

She liked this guy, he was funny and didn’t hold back to speak his mind. The first time she saw him, she honestly mistook him for a scruffy though guy, therefore this contrast in looks and personality was certainly something to look out for. She would compliment him about it a whole lot.

It was typically loud in this spot of the club where they sat, many times both had to say the same thing twice to be heard over the music and the chatter of people behind.

A particularly loud table behind Dongho made him finally flinch back and look with look. He glared far into the other end of the room with an annoyed frown looking for the culprits. It was a bunch of men acting characteristically rowdy and drunk, however the drunkest one of them looked eerily familiar.

Dongho looked away from it realizing it was no one else, but Minhyun. It had been over a week or so since he had last seen him. But it did make sense he would be here, this was his area, plus he had mentioned that he liked coming here before too.

“Everything okay Dongho?” Nayoung peered close to him, curious as to why Dongho suddenly looked so shaken. “Oh, its nothing.” He shrugged and although instantly suspicious, she left him be, going back to finishing her bar treat.

Right now Dongho wasn’t even concerned about the date and Nayoung. He was scared that Minhyun might see him in here, or Nayoung would see him, either way it would turn awkward as hell.

Dongho looked back to peek again, luckily Minhyun was too wasted to see him across the club. He was giggling and laughing out loud while surrounded by strangers. The guy was bouncing on the laps of other men and esthetically accepted being manhandled by them, while all of them gave sly dirty looks. 

The picture here was pretty clear. However, to Dongho it looked nothing like the guy he knew, Hwang obviously wasn’t the type to play around like this, so this whole scene just looked so morbidly wrong.

“What’s over there?” Nayoung waved her long neck, impatient after Dongho had been turned around for solid two minutes.

The short boy stopped her from looking into the direction, “Hey, no its okay.” He panicked, “We should really get going.”

“What, why?” That worried face of his was rubbing off on her too. Dongho had to make up a decent lie, something to get them both on their feet and dip from here before she could see Minhyun so shitfaced drunk.

“I—uhh, I’ve just realized that I’ve forgotten to bring my wallet.” He shrugged, keeping a close eye on that table from the corner of the eye. 

Right then the group of people started to get up from their seats, and leading Hwang away instead.

Nayoung regained his attention with a gasp, “Dongho, you silly rascal.” She just laughed it off, “Don’t worry I was going to pay for us anyway.”

Dongho had lost sight of Minhyun after looking away for merely a second, he had no idea where the guy got taken, but he was worried something bad might happen while he was being so reckless.

 

After the club, Dongho had parked his car further off from the house of his date, a steep uphill road lead to her place of stay. The two walked in silence, exchanging smiles, but Dongho still had a weird look in his eyes, he would try to hide it, but Nayoung wasn’t a fool.

“So I guess that’s it for tonight.” She made a happy sigh, “Are you really that nervous?” Nayoung teased her date.

“Definitely right about that.” He laughed, wiping his nose. “But, I should really hurry now.” The man bowed as his goodbye and almost left Nayoung as soon as she had reached the outside gate of her residence, his mind too pre-occupied with meaningless worry.

“Dongho wait!” She stopped him from running off so abruptly out of nowhere, she looked at him with concern, “Can we see each other again soon?”

“I really enjoyed this.” Her voice made Donghos eyes glimmer, he dropped his stress to respond back with a dumb grin, that his crush would only make fun of him for more.

 

Dongho thought he wouldn’t be concerned, he had no reason to. But he couldn’t undo that dangerous image of Minhyun drinking himself to death with strange men from his mind. He hoped that the guy he had seen wasn’t actually him, but he certainly did look the part, Dongho couldn’t mistake his sad pouty face even from across the room. The face of the man he had been missing seeing for days.

His new anxiety overcame his happiness about his first date with his crush, and he couldn’t even think about her right now. In fact, Dongho was so filled with dread after seeing Minhyun again after all this time, that in the next following hour his stomach could no longer hold. 

He ended up throwing up that night for seemingly no reason, just out of anxiety alone. Poor man was clutching to the rim of his own toilet for breath while wheezing out all that was burning inside of his own throat for good half an hour.

Yet even after all this worry, he still wasn’t brave enough to call the boy back yet. It would be terrible, they had not spoken in so long, plus Dongho had already made the choice to never speak to that guy ever again. He thought it would be for the better and would just fix things. However, now he just didn’t know anymore. Dongho tried not to think much of it, and just focus on his own life without trouble. But he still couldn’t get Minhyun out of his brain no matter how hard he wished.

 

Dongho was skipping out on his usual route from the coffee machine in the dining hall to his desk at work. Instead he just sat in his office the whole lunch period, nervously flicking a pen, unable to focus.

Tired of thinking he abruptly stood, surprising Nayoung who was just about to sneak up on him during her own break. Her face immediately calmed Dongho from whatever had irked him. The two accompanied each other to lunch and made plans for their possible next date.

People at the office had already started to pick up what was going on in between them, the two lovebirds were practically glued to one another these days. But It wasn’t quite like that yet, they weren’t exactly dating at the moment and they still had a long way to go to become a real couple, but the destination was obvious to everyone around them.

Nayoung became his new lunch partner, replacing the previous one. Dongho was so focused on his crush whenever she was with him that he could barely even remember that other guy who had ever once existed in her place. But whenever he did remember that man for some reason while looking at his girlfriend, his head would begin to ache, like someone had driven a knife into his skull.

Nayoung would ask what was wrong and he would just answer that it was stress from work, nothing to worry about.

His memories of Minhyun as his funny and talkative best friend and the memories of Minhyun laying half naked in bed had all mixed into one mass. So now every time he thought about Minhyun one way, he would accidentally think about all the other memories he didn’t want as well, they came together. But despite imagining Minhyun in ways that scared him, he still missed him the same.

Dongho had no recollection of what exactly happened that night, but the fact that they did let something happen was horrifying. No, he let it happen, whatever it had been it was his fault for taking advantage of his friend and using him like that, thus Dongho was too ashamed to face him.

However, avoiding the problem now by letting it just sit there was not the right solution, he had found that out the hard way by now. And Dongho had to tackle this somehow, he just didn’t know how yet.

Minhyun was in love with him, but Dongho clearly did not see him the same way, and for obvious reasons they could not continue hanging out like they once did before. It was scary knowing your best friend had those sorts of feelings, Dongho had no clue what to do. So cutting off Minhyun just seemed like the only right thing to do at the time, but he still missed him so painfully bad. In the end this was an even bigger mistake.

 

Right before clocking out of work that day, Dongho walked to the wing of the building where Minhyun worked, by convincing himself that he was now brave enough for confrontation, even though he had no clue what to say. All he did know however was that he just wanted to have his best friend back, even if it would not work.

Minhyuns spot sat empty, the lamp above his desk unlit and casting a dark shadow over his unfinished papers. Dongho figured that the punk had again smooth talked his way out of trouble by not coming to work. He was calling in as sick almost at least once each week, but nobody seemed to batter an eye.

Dongho sat in the boys chair and sighed, thinking what could the boy be up to by now. He was already doing things he normally wouldn’t, and how that man at the bar barely was not anything like him. Dongho was left to wonder if that was his fault.

Unknowingly he had already reached into his pocket to call him like when he normally would whenever he needed something, but that wouldn’t seem to fly now. Dongho felt dumb not being able to decide if calling that man by now would be okay, if it was okay to himself and of course his female crush too, since they were just about to start dating.

He weighted the phone in his hand, clenching tightly before giving in out of frustration. He needed to know if Minhyun was alright, or else it would eat him alive not knowing about the mans fate.

Nervous set of fingers danced over the screen of his phone and the dial tone began to ring to his ear, he could almost feel sweat drops form across his forehead. His pupils grew huge once the other line had opened, Minhyun answered his call, but there was nothing but silence on the other side.

“Hwang?” He stuttered, the tense muscles in his face unknotting relieved to hear the sound of Minhyun breathing down the mic.

“I need to speak with you. Can we meet in person?” Dongho made a pained smile, already expecting a yes from Minhyun the same way he would always agree before, only to be shot down.

Minhyun sighed before speaking, he sounded tired. “Eh, you haven’t spoken to me in a week, so what is the rush now?” Minhyun joked, but he spoke in a cruel, mocking voice that didn’t sound all that friendly.

The shortest ran the fingers through his hair, they gripped into his fist and he pulled just slightly hard enough to feel it sting. “I know it looks bad, but I had my very own reasons for it.” He swore.

Of course Minhyun could predict all of his reasons and even sympathize with him, but despite them, now that Dongho was still trying to insert himself back into the other mans life regardless, Minhyun was confused to the point he was already getting heated. Dongho was speaking absolute nonsense, the guy was obviously better without him, so why did he even call back, was it just to shoot himself in the foot. Minhyun doubted his reason.

Out of nowhere the conversation subject was changed, “I heard you have a date with that girl today, I am so happy for you Dongho.”

“No you are not, you are pretending. I can hear it in your voice even over the phone.” Dongho instantly called him out. He had heard Minhyun lie so many times before that now it was becoming easy to tell.

“Then what do you want of me to say?” The tallest became agitated, “That I hate her and never want you to be happy with her?”

Donghos ear could not catch a break, “Stop coming back and go on with your life, Kang.” Minhyun demanded his friend to forget about him. 

Clearly the two being near one another would not do either of them any good at all, especially now that Dongho practically already had a girlfriend, it would be unreasonable, weird.

Dongho became bitter sounding, “But I think— I need you.” His words came out even stronger this time, so loud in fact that the people nearby from outside could hear him shout on the phone. Since he obviously wasn’t on the phone with Nayoung, people outside began to silently raise their eyebrows at one another. But in the heat of the moment they guy could care less.

Dongho was suffering knowing that it had taken him so long to realize that the other man had become such a big part of his life in these few past short weeks. Minhyun had convicted him to be better, he had taken care and covered for him so many times, Dongho owed the kind man.

This outburst made Minhyun crack up, he thought, not only was the bastard probably lying, but also telling a lie over something so stupid and pointless. Dongho was truly something else.

“You don’t need me, never needed me, and I’m fine with the way it is. This is a goodbye.” He spat.

“Wait, we can just start over. It doesn’t have to be like this.” Dongho started to sound more desperate than what he should be, because he believed this could be solved, he owed it to Minhyun to fix it all.

Minhyuns voice became low and quiet, “Dongho, understand me, I like you. No, I love you, and watching you fall for someone else before my eyes hurts so much I can never be happy as long as you are beside me.”

The man had promised to himself that he would not get played by the man by falling for his trick, and shall not become a fool again, yet somehow he imagined that he will anyway. He wanted Dongho back so badly, so that’s why now he had to force himself to utter those painful words of goodbye.

Dongho went silent remembering all about that part he had somehow forgotten about and he simply wanted to disregard it, wanting to go back to just continue being best friends with Minhyun like they had been before, bring it all back to how it was. But that wasn’t possible.

A strangers voice sounded distant from the phone, perhaps there was someone else with Minhyun, “Who are you talking to?” 

There was an echo behind the voice, leading Dongho to assume that at least the boy was somewhere indoors, “You aren’t doing anything out of character, right?” The short boy worried.

He was not expecting Minhyun to find the question so ironically funny. “In the end, you still know nothing about me.” His voice sounded venomous and evil, before their line abruptly broke off.

Dongho shot the phone away from his ear to redial, but since he was already angry he decided not to until he would cool off, to prevent from throwing curses.

The same day Dongho had already scheduled a date for himself, but on his way to her house he could think about nothing else, but Minhyun. In such a sad state he hadn’t even decided where to take his date, instead he was fighting the urge not to swerve the car and drive to his house instead.

He stopped at a red light to pull out his phone and text him, wanting to meet him right after the date was over. However to actually type something up and send it took him a long time. He ignored the cars behind him honking at him once the light had already long turned green, staring into his phone at the message he had just sent; “Where are you right now, Minhyun. When can I see you?”

 

“You look worried, everything okay?” Nayoung sipped from a straw sitting across from Dongho at some coffee shop he had scouted out on the way there.

“Huh? Yeah I’m fine.” Dongho shrugged, trying to not make it too obvious that he was fucked out of his mind over his best friend.

Nayoung shook her head, twirling the paper straw in-between her fingers. She had been watching him fiddle in his seat for so long and say nothing, that by now her glass was already empty.

“Come on, I can read peoples faces well. There is something bothersome on your mind.” She nodded at him, but Dongho remained shy to answer.

“Did you fight with a friend? Hwang Minhyun perhaps?” Her guess made Dongho glare his eyes back up from staring down at the table.

Right then he felt the phone in his jean pocket buzz, before even giving Nayoung a clean answer he outright ignored her to instead whip out his phone and see Minhyuns response. 

The guy had given him the full address of his location, not expecting for Dongho to be brave enough to actually show up. The guy was staying at a luxury hotel that he probably couldn’t even afford to pay for by himself, the room suite number attached.

“I am assuming – yes.” Nayoung smiled a little, watching Donghos wide eyed frown while he stared at his own phone.

Dongho looked back at her, “How would you know?” 

Nayoung tapped her finger to her chin in thought before speaking, “I know you and Minhyun were close, everyone knew. After all he is the one who suggested you to my friends when we were looking for a cab man.”

“I didn’t realize it at first, but he was playing the role of a wingman for you.” She giggled, “You two worked together to set this all up just so you could ask me out, right?” She laughed it off, luckily not finding any of it creepy at all.

To her it looked more like a cute token of love, or at least now that she actually liked Dongho back and wanted to date him.

Dongho blanked out, forgetting to continue the topic of Minhyun after Nayoung spoke those words he had only dreamt of ever hearing. “Are we dating now?” He didn’t hesitate to ask next.

“I thought we already were?” She acted surprised, laughing again at her boyfriends surprised expression.

Dongho was happy, so happy his heart could blow up. This is what he had always wanted, to be loved by the girl of his dreams. Or at least that what he had told himself.

He realized that his own smile of joy was all fake, Dongho was holding it there to make himself more happy, but there was a hurdle in the way that prevented him from fulfillment. He understood how much it would hurt Minhyun if he in the end went out with Nayoung, and although he had the strongest and the most suppressed feelings for her, the feelings he had for Minhyun now were so much greater. He didn’t love him in that way, but he loved him enough as a friend.

And when he weighted the two, he could clearly tell that he cared for Minhyuns wellbeing ten times more at the moment. That man needed him, while he was doing all of these foolish things and only getting himself hurt. In the end Dongho acknowledged that he needed him too.

“I am sorry, but I can’t do this.” He randomly blurted out, shocking Nayoung. “Huh?” She was lost and confused, everything up to now had gone so well.

The chair beneath him scratched the floor with a metal sound, when he abruptly stood from the seat with a terrified look on his face, “Let’s just stay as friends.” He apologized, rushing out the door to get back to his car and drive to that hotel.

 

Dongho managed to track it down, pressing down the door knob of the suite without knocking first. It was unlocked, whoever was in here with his friend had already left, the boy sat alone in the room.

Minhyun was half asleep laid out on the bed, not wearing much. There was a stench of cigarette smoke in the air and the ones sitting in the ashtray by the bed still drew smoke. Something had been spilled in the bed, red alcohol liquid left deep stains in the white sheets, sticky marks spotted Minhyuns skin, his neck and face, legs and pretty much all else..

Dongho woke the boy up quickly by calling out his name, Minhyun was tired and exhausted, but above all he was angry seeing his friend come here.

“What are you doing here?” He never expected for the boy to actually come and see him in person after all this, “Shouldn’t you be on your date?” He still remembered.

Dongho didn’t even hesitate, “I broke up with her.” Minhyun sat himself up in bed to speak directly, “Why the hell would you do that?”

The tall male looked horrid, covered in bruises and gross love bites in pretty much every place imaginable. This was not done by one person, perhaps multiple, but now after they were done with him, they had just left him alone and behind.

“It wasn’t fair to you.” Dongho tried to ignore his state, but his heart had clenched into a knot, because he had never seen Minhyun like this before. It was so unlike the polite and clever boy he knew.

“Screw fairness. Do you know how it makes me feel knowing my best friend is now unhappy because of me?” Minhyun cursed, waving his arms at Dongho as to push him away.

He turned away to collect himself before he could blow up in fumes even more, “Go back to her, tell her you changed your mind.” Minhyun shooed him.

Dongho refused, and began to look around for clothes or shoes he could put back on his friend to get him out of here. “No, not gonna happen. I am here with you now.” He insisted.

“And what good will that do? She is the one you love, not me.” Minhyuns voice came out as a yell, but towards the end it became as soft as a whisper. 

“I want to be your friend.” Dongho spoke while heart was breaking in two and it made Minhyuns break too, “Friends, how?”

He continued, “I don’t need your pity, nor do I want you to force yourself to be here only to realize that you are disgusted by me and leave one day.” Minhyun was speaking louder and even snickering to himself.

In fact he was talking a lot, mumbling and slurring his words that just kept throwing curses at Dongho who had not said anything in return to even deserve them. The guy has had something, no clue what.

Dongho carefully neared him to look at his arm and check for marks, bruises or something he wasn’t sure what exactly, but Minhyun would have none of it either way, slapping the arm away.

“I need to get you out of here first.” The shortest quickly understood that his friend was not in a safe position, if he was left alone he could get hurt even more. 

“I’m fine, go.” He replied calmly. The face of Minhyun still looked calm even when he was angry, and to Dongho that was the scariest part.

“I can’t, not when you are like this.” Dongho sulked.

A shrug was the only response that Dongho would receive, the guy didn’t care what would happen next, since he was already at his lowest point nothing mattered. He let Dongho hold his shoulders from falling, eyes drooping shut.

Dongho felt wet under his fingers as soon as he touched the boy, he was covered in dripping sweat perhaps half of it not even his own, his face sticky from spilled alcohol. 

“I need to wash you off.” Dongho grimaced. Minhyun reopened his eyes once to push him, but his arms were not quite strong enough anymore. “Just leave me alone.”

“I told you, I can’t do that.” Dongho refused, lifting Minhyun from bed as is to bathroom attached to the bedroom to get the grease out of his skin before he could get sick from it.

Minhyun could not remember the last time someone else had bathed him, maybe back when he had been a kid. Dongho was being so nice to him, making sure the water in the bath was not too hot, kneeling besides him to dab the dirty skin with a softer towel. This was almost if he wanted to prove something, like he would be loyal only to Minhyun from now on.

But it couldn’t matter, Dongho didn’t love him and it was such a waste he did not. Minhyun looked to his friend with drowsy eyes, “You told me you wouldn’t leave. You lied to me.”

“I am sorry, I do not remember.” Dongho apologized, he wished he could.

The short male began to scrub a bit harder, desperate to wash off the filth that some other disgusting man had left seeping into the skin of his best friend. The strangers teeth marks, so called love bites, appeared as vandalism to him. It was a disgusting display he wished to erase and undo.

A hiss came from Minhyun feeling the towel scrub over a hurting scar on his back, Dongho made sure to circle and avoid hitting it again while his hand slid over his friends back in a zig-zag motion.

Minhyun assumed that the other male had no clue how affectionate this was, for him this was simply a good deed, but for the touch starved Minhyun it was a dream come true. And naturally he began wishing for more.

“Dongho, can you kiss me? Just this once.” His request sounded like a last resort.

The shortest stopped his arms from reaching into the bath to consider. Nothing was stopping him from giving it a try, maybe if it felt okay enough, he could try to imagine himself being attracted to his friend in order to make him happy. Dongho would do anything to make that frown go away.

But he couldn’t, he couldn’t push himself to do it and the idea of what would happen if he did such a thing again to his defenseless friend scared him too much to even imagine it.

Kang stood still bowing his head in apology glancing away from the other male who looked so small and all given up in front of him. His red stained lips were shaky and eyes glimmering to the shine of the light. Dongho didn’t know what to do with him anymore, the guy was helpless without him and Minhyun knew it too.

A smell of gross cigarette smoke ruined the moment, it was coming off from Minhyuns hair. Obviously, he had been laying down in those sheets for far too long, perhaps he had been waiting for Dongho to come. The thought of his friend waiting for him like this everyday made Donghos heart hurt more.

“Why, why do you like me?” Dongho had to ask. Minhyun bit his lips trying to put it into words, but nothing made sense, “I just do.”

“Come with me, I’ll take you home.” Donghos voice sounded too kind for Minhyun to turn him down, he had become absolutely powerless to his beg.

After Minhyun was taken back to his apartment, he let his stubborn friend stay in his apartment overnight, but only because he wouldn’t back down, in this situation the guy was more terrified than Hwang. He was afraid to lose him again.

Sleeping next to Dongho felt good as long as Minhyun pretended that the man was his. His hands slept intertwined with Donghos larger hand, thick fingers squeezing down tight until this horrible night would pass.

 

The next morning the scratches and bruising from his wild hotel night was still there, not like it would have gone away that quickly overnight. They now formed giant, sore patches of red where Dongho had tried to scrape the ugly reminders of Minhyuns other lovers out of his body. It was difficult to turn out of the sheets like that, when even the smallest touch against his sensitive skin could be felt.

Gloomy grey sky of the city greeted Minhyuns pale face from behind his bedroom window curtain drawn thick shut. Faintly in the distance, he could hear his washing machine humming from the other room, then after a brief moment, also a set walking footsteps that would stop to stand right outside the door.

The other male stepped into the room uninvited as always, but this time he didn’t say a thing, not even a good morning introduction. He just came up to his friend to sit him back down on the bed and make that ill worried face that Minhyun had started to hate, because each time he saw it, it made him worried too. 

Dongho had something he wanted to say, it had manifested in his brain for the whole night, so now he was certain of the words he should use and how to properly string them together.

They needed one another now, so from now on Dongho had decided to never leave his friend again. But he knew what that would mean for him, and he was willing to throw all and everything away instead to be with his best friend.

It was strange, but Dongho was being pulled to Minhyun by some kind of a force he couldn’t even fully comprehend himself. He knew it was love, in a slightly lesser and purely platonic form, not the kind of Minhyun wanted of him, but regardless, Dongho could only explain his feelings as love for the other man.

Minhyun was suddenly afraid by the odd silence, it was a spoiler warning him that his friend was about to come up with something foolish to propose, and dodged out of Donghos touch. The idiot had no idea the pain he was causing whenever he would even slightly brush his fingers over Minhyuns.

The larger man remained ashamed when speaking, “I am sorry for being so bothersome to you.” He earned no visual response from the other, “I thought about this a lot, I want to make you happy.” Dongho nodded, thinking to himself he was making the best choice.

“Idiot,” Minhyun grimaced, “Then leave, I can only be happy if you are.”

Dongho spoke right back, “Do you think I could be happy knowing you are sacrificing yourself for me? We cannot be like that, we would both only destroy one another.” The guy had finally said something intelligent sounding for once, Minhyun had to chuckle.

There was a deep breath that came before Donghos next sentence, Minhyun didn’t like the sound of it. The man began to speak quickly, just so Minhyun wouldn’t write him off, “I want to try loving you. I won’t be getting back with—”

Minhyun hissed just before Dongho had said that dreaded name of the woman, “Don’t try to force yourself, you cant even feel attracted to another man.” He shrugged.

“Maybe its something I just don’t know yet?” Dongho insisted that he could somehow make this work. Minhyun scrolled his eyes and sigh, agitated.

“Let me go out with you. I want to try making it work.” He begged Minhyun, squeezing his hand in his own palm. 

Long seconds passed and Minhyun felt himself give in out of spite. He knew Dongho wouldn’t be able to keep it up, he could never stay loyal to someone he didn’t feel any attraction to.

“But I don’t believe you.” Minhyun had turned cruel, looking at his friend with evil in his eyes. It seemed fun to see how long it would take Dongho to break his promise and run off to actually prove him right.

“What do I have to do to make you trust me? I won’t run away from it again.” Dongho promised.

Minhyun spoke in a voice that sounded too much threatening. “Kiss me then, prove it.” It sounded like he was challenging him, mocking him.

Of course if Dongho ever had to kiss someone he wanted to be done out of emotion, and not having it feel like a mandatory task, like it did right now. But Dongho hated the look Minhyun gave him, he was looking at him like a liar and a coward, and to be quite honest the guy thought so of himself too.

To prove himself wrong, he leaned to the edge of Minhyuns lips, his own just barely pressing down in order to get a feel for it first at least. 

The tall male could instantly tell that his friend was just experimenting, and him playing the role of a test subject for a straight guy made him sick to his stomach, but the happy feeling of being kissed by the man he liked so much managed to win over.

The contact was very light, like it was barely even there, but Minhyun could still feel his warmth and Dongho could feel his. Finally, the shortest had parted his lips enough for it to actually be like a proper kiss.

Gradually, it had spread over to the middle of Minhyuns raw red lips where he broke entry. But then soon hesitantly decided to pull away to just brush his lips over the lips from outside, and when he was brave enough again, he’d repeat it. Minhyun got bored of this gentle approach rather quickly, and by holding around the back of Donghos neck, he made their exchange deeper. The other male quickly got into it after he was given the small push.

For Dongho it didn’t feel all that weird, well maybe just a little, since Minhyun was his best friend after all, or maybe it felt better now only because they had already done this before somewhere, but Dongho could not recall it too well. He wished he could remember that night and all the things he had said to Minhyun that made him hurt this bad.

After Dongho started to pull him closer, tighter and everything started to get confusing. For Minhyun it felt like a sin to be enjoying this so much, within the next moment, he regretted ever accepting the kiss he did not deserve and soon enough and squirmed his face to the side, “Enough.” 

“You don’t even like doing this with me.” Minhyun had pulled away far, feeling bad for forcing Dongho to do things he normally wouldn’t by essentially guilt tripping him into it, “I am sorry, I’ve been so selfish.”

“Does that make me selfish too If I said I wanted more?” Donghos words felt like a bullet piercing Minhyun right into his heart, “Huh?”

The shortest retreated back into the kiss without waiting, just to prove him wrong. He thought that if he already liked this, then maybe if he just kept giving the other man kisses, perhaps Dongho could fall for his best friend, and finally return Minhyuns feelings the right way. He was determined.

Shocked to see his friend so willingly kiss again, the other gladly let him do so and they started all over, embracing for a long minute until neither of them could stand on their feet for any longer. Dongho stepped forwards bending his knee over the bed and Minhyun was sat down backwards, that’s when everything started to pick up even more.

Time and direction had been altered, it felt too quick to comprehend whenever they touched. Their arms had been awkwardly gliding over clothes, grabbing into folds of fabric that stretched long in the way.

The tall boy whimpered the name of the other when Dongho strayed away, hovering his wet parted lips over Minhyuns jawline away from a full touch, to instead adore his skin with only a breath.

“Yeah?” Dongho spoke in question, his voice low. Minhyun wanted to ask his friend if he was for real, because all these touches felt so genuine and true.

“You must be disgusted by me, right?” He spoke, not convinced. “No, never.” Dongho swore, hugging his nose into the pit of Minhyuns shoulder.

Minhyun was the most precious thing to him, his best friend, and those silly insults Minhyun put on himself would hurt Dongho. 

The shortest did not feel weirded out by Minhyun being a man, but truth be told he felt nothing much at all. He just couldn’t force an emotion out of himself that simply wasn’t there yet. Although the tall male was responding to him at least, and that told him that he was even doing it right.

Minhyun seemed patient enough, watching Donghos face as he drew away to sit far back on his heels. It wasn’t over just yet, Dongho was already thinking about something.

Dongho challenged himself and glided down to the front of Minhyuns shirt, linking his fingers with the crumpled folds and drove it up the boys chest out of the sight. Dongho glanced up at Minhyun once, big scared and questioning eyes, asking his friend if it was okay for him to do this.

While sleeping in bed overnight next to Minhyuns body, he had seen these small scenes that would play out in his head involving the guy. Dongho didn’t know where he had even seen them before, but his brain had gotten more curious since.

“What are you doing?” Minhyun didn’t think of stopping him, he was just wondering about the intent. Dongho didn’t know too well himself, he was just looking around for some reason, observing and collecting further information.

The mans body was frail, his flat stomach was pale like it had never seen the sun, and his ribcage ghosted out from his skin with each uneven breath when viewed up close.

“You are so thin.” Dongho noticed a loss of weight since the two had first met, maybe the stress had caused him to go weaker, he theorized again to find reasons to put all of the blame in the world on himself again.

Minhyun had never noticed a slight chance, but now that Dongho had pointed it out, he was starting to see it too. His lips thinned looking at the other with such eyes as big as tennis balls, full of worry. Minhyun began to fear that somehow this would make his male body even less appealing to Dongho.

He did a small involuntary jolt of muscle that had anxiously twitched over his half exposed chest. The shortest panicked, “It’s not like that, you know I didn’t mean it in a bad way.”

“I know, dummy.” Minhyun cracked a tiny smile over his friend, but to the other it seemed like he had hurt his friend with his nonsense.

Dongho hugged his cheek to the naked stomach, making his friend gasp in surprise. His head stood visible as just a bundle of hair from above. Minhyun let him stay there even if it tickled, learning to memorize this pretty scene just in case it would soon go away.

Dongho fluttered his eyelashes slowly open and closed up against the stomach of his best friend. He kept thinking about why did it feel so strangely homely in this position to him, it was like he had already once done this before somewhere.

His lips out of nowhere were drawn to the soft warm skin of Minhyun, something urged him to press a quick peck above his bellybutton. Minhyun held a louder hiss, quickly remembering Donghos past drunken antics. The other man soon did too, but not really, he needed to trail at least five more kisses on his friends jolting tummy before it all started to come together.

Dongho had thought this was simply a dream back when had first done this during his drunken fit, something his brain had entirely made up. However, the pleased faces Minhyun was making were all so familiar, there was no way it was just an alcohol induced nightmare.

At that point the tallest already began to squirm, Donghos lips felt too intense around that place, he whined. For many nights he had recalled that specific small part of their affair, and how much Minhyun was fighting back right then not to give in to those kisses, much like he was fighting back now.

Donghos tickling peppered kisses became heated and open mouthed ones, his fingers had hooked into the mans hips to prevent him from trashing around by the ticklish feeling. Judging by his face, Minhyun still liked it, so the guy just kept going.

Minhyuns voice became no more than a tortured breath, he began to call out the name of his best friend. The tall mans hand reached to grab something, anything at all to give the sense of control back to him, his fingers found a place nesting in his friends hair, desperately pulling to hold him off.

“Huh?” Dongho looked up as his friend as scared as he could be. Was this to much, he asked himself, maybe he had gone a bit overboard.

Fortunately, Minhyun didn’t see it like that, he simply felt that this act was going to lead them to something neither of them are ready for yet. Dongho was brave now, doing things he had already experienced before, but there was no guarantee it was just in the heat of the moment, and that he would run off the next day like he had done before.

“We have to drive to work today, you should get ready.” Minhyun hid his red nose behind the back of his palm doing his best to not make this more awkward and abrupt than it already was.

 

Going back to work the same day after that was odd. It was a silent and antagonizing car ride, where neither of them knew what to say or how to operate around each other beyond this point.

Minhyun stepped out of the car smiling and thanking the other man for taking him to work again like he had always normally did, that was the first time Dongho had heard him speak since. And it was so strange to witness Minhyun literally switch on his fake personality as soon as they had to present themselves at work.

All of those wide smiles and loud laughs Dongho had heard the guy make at the office before he had met Minhyun, those had all been fake just like this one, and realizing that was truly scary. 

People were already eyeballing Dongho at work as soon as he had come in, it looked like the word had spread quickly. Everyone knew that something was going on in between Dongho and his female sweetheart, and everyone wanted to know.

Dongho was on edge working all while his co-workers viewed with those dirty looks. Nayoung had apparently appeared to be sad coming in that morning, and since everyone cared for her so much, Dongho was now being judged for his involvement like a criminal.

Of course he cared for her too, he wasn’t trying to be the bad guy. Or at least he didn’t want to see himself as one and it annoyed him that people would talk such behind his ears.

The short boy put his work aside, swiping his phone to a text from Minhyun, the guy had probably heard the badmouthing as well. He wrote; “Let’s not see each other at lunch, people are already talking. I’ll be waiting for you at the car after work.”

Minhyun sighed, setting his phone back into his pocket to stay discreet about it, however a breath over his shoulder interrupted him. He flinched his head turning around to see his female colleague shamelessly trying to read his text.

The guy had seen her face a dozen of times around here, but it never seemed important enough for him to remember. Eunwoo – read the nametag clipped into her blouse. 

The woman pulled her thin smirk into a wide smile, “You still talk to Kang?” She appeared to be desperate for gossip, Minhyun could have guessed this was the case already.

He shrugged and gave her an ambigious joking answer, “No idea, haven’t spoken to the guy in ages.” The shorter female turned, crossing her arms and pouting at nothing, “I wonder what’s going on between him and our Nayoung.”

“Aren’t you guys friends or something, go ask her.” He pretended to be uninterested, although it was hard when knowing the truth about him being the one who had ruined the union of two people in love, and he couldn’t be happy about doing so.

“You know she’s not like that. She never speaks ill of her exes!” She gasped, “Do you think he actually turned her down hard?”

Minhyun wanted to laugh in misery. Being dumped in favor of someone Dongho doesn’t even love would probably feel felt stupid hard for the person being dumped, if only she knew.

Minhyun could barely hide his unhappy frown by now, yet the woman was too clueless to even care, more interested in drama than whatever Hwang had on his face.

“Figure it out and tell me, Hwang!” She pushed and steered his shoulders towards the elevator door, the two huddled inside and the doors slid closed taking them both down to the lunchroom floor.

 

Minhyun and Dongho both sat into the car dreading being awkward with one another again. So the tallest spoke first, “How are you feeling?”

Dongho looked visibly impacted by everything happening around him. He was losing his new friends right before his very eyes, lying and avoiding everyone as his only escape. Whats worse than that was the guy being pointed fingers at for supposedly breaking the heart of the one person he actually loved, if she even loved him back yet that is. His life was becoming a bigger mess than it once was.

“I am doing alright, I guess.” He decided not to complain, how could knowing he had done all this in order to gain his best friend back.

“And you?” He asked out of politeness, even though the answer was already obvious.

Minhyun cut him off, he knew Dongho wouldn’t be fine after all the gossip that he had heard going around today, “You’re really serious about this aren’t you?”

“What do you mean?” Dongho glanced at his friend from the corner of his eye. “Dating me?” Minhyun had almost stuttered.

“Yes, I am.” Donghos voice sounded like a command. He put his frustrations into driving instead, arms angrily stretched far across the turning wheel on the way out the parking garage.

“Everyone thinks you are a jerk because of me.” Minhyun vent, obviously insinuating that this wasn’t worth it.

“I don’t care about any of it.” Dongho raised his voice, “I care about you, alright? Just you.” He sounded angry saying this, but Minhyun still felt weirdly moved. 

It had been a long while since someone had bent themselves backwards so much just for the means of being loyal to Minhyun. Maybe back in his early days school, when his best friends had loved him that much. Even though, the tall male could never compare this man to them, that same lovely feeling throbbing in his chest he felt whenever he was with Dongho felt so similar to the one he had long lost.

“Dongho,” Minhyun swallowed something painful in his throat, “Can we kiss again?”

It took the man at the wheel two seconds to respond, “I can’t pull over right now, maybe when we stop at your home.”

Minhyun looked forwards at the road, impatiently waiting for that small press of Donghos lips on top of his. He was willing to sit and long for the whole ride if he had to.

The shortest sighed taking a good note, and as soon as they stopped at the next intersection Dongho leaned to his side, cupping his hand under Minhyuns chin to turn it.

Hwangs eyes shot to the rear view mirror, a row of cars collected behind them probably watching them, but Dongho seemed not to care. For almost over five full seconds the man would be pressed up warm against his friend, his soft bottom lip brushing just above Minhyuns.

Dongho yanked himself away looking at the street light before speeding off the last second, “That should do it, right?” The prick sounded like he was making a laugh. For some reason he was feeling better now too after that.

The tall boy nodded happy to himself, but turned away as soon as his short lived grin started to hurt again. Minhyun wanted to trust Dongho, but his petrified heart kept telling him to not to.

Silent raindrops gradually dotted the front window, the sky was starting to look like it might really pour outside tonight. Kang switched on the radio to keep the muffled sound of the upcoming thunder out. So the then the car filled with the cheerful voice of a local radio DJ interviewing some currently in the trend celebrity over the air who’s name neither of them had never heard of before.

 

Dongho rode to his own home only after staying for another night and then again soon returned with his own baggage, as if he was preparing for some kind of a damn sleepover against Minhyuns wishes.

The guy insisted he would be staying over for an undetermined amount of time, just wanting to make sure Minhyun would be safe with him, in constant fear that without guidance, he’d end up in some dirty hotel again or worse. Minhyun saw it as such a childish gesture, as he could clearly take care of himself, after all he had been already fending for himself for this long.

Having another person in the house made the tall male less motivated to cook or clean, he let Dongho handle all of that stuff if he wished to do so this much for him. Dongho could tell he was an unwelcomed guest in this house, because of course Minhyun hated to be monitored by him, forced under a curfew like he was a teenager again.

Dongho returned from a grocery run, the fridge had emptied quick with two people around. This time when he arrived, he found the apartment dark, no lamps had been switched on after the sun had set while he had been out. He called out Minhyuns name fearing his friend had ran off, but the tallest shout back from the other side of the apartment. Dongho was in relief and rushed to the room he was in.

Minhyun nonchalantly greeted his friend laying on his bedroom bed, his work clothes still on. The boy seemed distant, not showing at all that he cared about the other man entering his room in the night again. Even the atmosphere of the room felt strange, almost chilly to the skin. 

Dongho slowly sat himself on the bed as well, trying to wait and see for what was wrong with his best friend now. It felt tense just watching him mindlessly stare at nothing thinking about something. Those static muscles in his face seemed to be stretched tight like bowstring, about to snap any second and make an ugly sound.

Minhyuns eyes flickered to Dongho, finally noticing him still standing there, the eyes of the short male shined back, however none of them spoke to eachother. Moments later Minhyun pulled something from his pocket, holding both hands to his mouth. Dongho reacted to the sound of a lighter switch on and off inside of his friends palm.

Minhyun rested, smoke pooling from the lone lit cigarette. The guy was a smoker and this revelation had just explained why he always ended up with this nasty smell stuck in his hair and clothes.

But Dongho didn’t want to believe it, smoking would never suit Minhyun, he was meant to be posh and proper, healthy and clean. It was everything against his character.

“I didn’t know you smoked?” Dongho sounded sad, it made Minhyun break into a chuckle. Clouds of smoke trailed to the ceiling, but the tallest didn’t seem to mind anymore.

“I don’t really do it that much.” He scoffed, “But I’m trying to get hooked.” His tone offended Dongho, he sounded so smart and full of himself.

“Why?” The short male was so frustrated he could only just barely hold back a yell. “Dunno,” He answered much too calmly, “Perhaps, I’d feel more lively if I was sick.”

The next second the same cigarette flew violently from his lips, he was then fighting with Dongho trying to get from him and silence it’s flame in the sheets.

“Get off me!” Minhyun scolded the other man trying to wrestle him down into the pillows of the bed. Dongho was frustrated to the point of tears, his vision shaded in a layer of angry red.

“Stop this! This is not like you Minhyun, wake up.” Dongho shout down at the boy below him hard enough to spray mist from his throat.

Minhyuns brittle eyebrows arched together, “This is me. It has always been.” He pushed the larger man away to sit, rubbing his aching wrists after being held down by that brute.

Dongho had seen a part of the real Hwang Minhyun, when Minhyun was getting wasted in that club in the arms of strange men, or when he laid dirtied and abandoned in that hotel room all by himself. Dongho tried to imagine that as reality, but that version of Minhyun seemed too pathetic to be true.

Minhyun waited until Dongho had calmed, before he could come clean about something else. “I lied about the car too, I crashed it and now I can’t drive anymore.”

“You crashed?” Dongho reaction was so predictable already, “I was speeding, not paying enough attention. You already know how it goes.”

Dongho shifted in the ashen smeared sheets to look at his friend up close, “Speeding? Are you just going to write it off like that? You could have died.”

Minhyun laughed, right then he wanted to say something crude. But at the same time he decided not to, he knew that if he ever mentioned about him wanting to have been better off dead from that crash, Dongho would probably breakdown sobbing out of grief.

The room went silent for a while, the two sat for a long minute without any exchange, but Minhyuns unsaid words were still floating right above his head where Dongho could guess them himself.

“Just promise to me that you will never do this again.” Dongho was desperate, his face showed that he was hurting more than ever, “Promise you won’t!”

Minhyun didn’t know what to say, he was looking down at Dongho in pity. The fact that the boy cared for him this much made it feel weird and unnatural, no one had done so before.

Dongho was staring down trying to hold it in, but he was overflowing with so much frustration that when he looked back up, his face was in the most angry shade of red that Minhyun had ever seen. 

“I realize, I didn’t have much before I met you.” His breath sounded blocked, “You helped me gain things, but at the same time I might again lose them all soon.”

“But I do it, and I would do it again just to keep you, because right now, you are the most important thing to me.” Donghos eyes glimmered to the light in the dim room, trembling in their sockets as if he were to cry after the next set of words.

“I wonder why that is?” Minhyun chuckled, thinking to himself what had he ever done for Dongho to earn him.

Donghos voice suddenly barked, making Minhyun twitch, “Because I love you.” The tall mans cold stare made him correct himself, “Maybe not in a romantic way, but I love you, its love.”

Minhyun digested it for long seconds, but his heart became solid once he had met the same conclusion as before yet again, “Stop telling me how much you would only love me as a friend.” 

He shrugged at the other male, who got stuck there with a apologetic expression on his face, “I am sorry.” He begged.

The tall man could not remain mad for one second more, he was too tired of it all. His hand nested on top of his friends head, dropping gentle pats in his hair. “Don’t be.” Minhyun replied, sorry for ever putting down Dongho, who was only doing his dumb best to fix things.

The tallest picked himself up from bed to retrieve what he had dropped, the cigarette had been long out of fire, broken in half in the sheets under Donghos clenched fingers and tossed it into the bin by the bed.

 

Cold. Being outside right now was too cold. The temperature these days kept falling and the insulation in Minhyuns apartment wasn’t too good. Dongho sat at a portable heater in the mans bedroom that had been quietly purring while blowing heated air into the palms of the squatting man for long minutes already.

Minhyun had gone somewhere, either work or friends, Dongho just had to guess this time, since he was too anxious to ask again after already asking almost every other time Minhyun even moved near the entrance way. 

He was becoming paranoid, well at least he hoped not to be that way, but when it came to Minhyun he was always in a constant state of worry not knowing where that guy was at any given time.

He rubbed his hands together to make them warmer, pondering further. Maybe soon Kang would be getting a little closer to developing something for his friend, he wished he could force more out of it since it would make Minhyun so happy.

Dongho sat in some silence for a while, keeping Minhyuns image in his mind waiting for something to happen, and when it did not and he got bored. The male sunk to his knees in front of his heater, a hesitating thought appeared to him all out of a sudden.

He slid his own hand under his sweater warming his palm over his stomach back and forth, his eyes squeezed shut and he tried to think more of his best friend, more of that night he had possibly forgotten and bring it all back. His hand twitched to move to his lap, sliding past his and under waistband and his body only further slouched forwards.

It felt good, but when he imagined Minhyun holding him right there instead, he didn’t know what to make of it exactly. Dongho began to breathe deep.

He wished Minhyun was here, he missed him. If the guy was here right now he could maybe give him another meaningless handjob, if it wasn’t too much to ask. He was all too desperate trying to do it himself by picturing his friend helping him instead.

Donghos phone was near, he decided to call him and ask if the guy would be home soon so perhaps he could wait it out, but just as he could have guessed, Minhyun would simply not pick up. He was still somewhere out there, in that cursed cold weather hiding in some place strange.

 

The keys that sat inside of Kangs jacket pockets made a clinking noise, he pulled out the ones to his car hiding them under his own sleeve to protect his finger tips from the same cold that pricked at his cheeks. Dongho walked through a hallow parking garage exiting the office once another work day had ended.

His step however stalled once he saw the figure standing at his car not being Minhyun, he decided to approach any way, because it seemed like the person had been waiting for long.

Nayoung breathed hot steam into her freezing palms, before noticing Dongho walking from the distance and called out to him. “Dongho, hey!”

“Nayoung, you are here?” He questioned her motive of reaching out to him after he had stood her up in such a douchebag way.

The woman did not look distressed or even angry at him, what’s more she looked genuinely worried for him, “You called me your friend Dongho, friends care for each other.”

Dongho didn’t understand, he felt pressured to speak to her after a while. But she was still so different to all of those people who spread gossip, she was kind to him, despite being the one involved the most.

Of course was sad about what he had potentially lost, but at the same time, he did it to protect someone even more dear to him, and that is what had mattered the most to him.

She spoke once more, “I know you must be going through something, I want to know what’s going on.”

From the corner of his eye Dongho saw her move her hand to hold his and reassure him, his first response was to flinch away. He was scared to touch her at all anymore, the image of Minhyun in his mind had stopped him.

Just then, Minhyun himself had come around the corner to stumble upon the two speaking. His feet made a halt, but the eyes were already on him, he hesitated running away for a second after seeing them together, but still continued to walk forwards as planned to act it out cool.

Dongho cursed in his head, thinking how wrong this scene had probably looked to Minhyun just now. He had disappointed him again somehow by causing a bad misunderstanding.

“Minhyun you—?” She acted surprised to see the two men together, “Are you guys friends again?”

As soon as Minhyun had approached them close, Dongho reached to grab the hand of other male to pull him even more close. “Yeah we are.”

Nayoungs eyes went to the boys hand weirdly squeezing down on the hand of the other man, trembling around him. Minhyun looked a bit taken a back too, he lost his words of an excuse.

She spoke after a delayed second, “Well, I guess I’ll leave you guys to it then.” She acted confused, but there was not much she could say now that Minhyun was a part of their conversation, and judging by the grip he had on that boys wrist it was pretty clear he did not wish to speak in private.

The two men sat back into the car, rushing to clip their seatbelts in over their huge puffy winter jackets like always. But Dongho didn’t start the car until he saw Nayoung walk all the way back the way she came, looking out the front window like a hawk. 

Minhyun saw him, “I am not angry, you know.” He added, “It’s not like I can force you to never face her again. If that’s what you want to do then—” 

Dongho cut in, “Don’t say those kinds of things, you are making me sad.” 

His hand nervously reached for Minhyuns and he placed it to his lips, kissing the sore pale knuckles of the mans hand. He didn’t care if this time that woman had seen it. Minhyun nodded, even though he had already learned to trust not trusting his word.

 

The bathroom door was always swung wide open while Dongho was using it, certainly it was hard to get used to for Minhyun, but he figured that maybe that’s just how Dongho did things around his own house.

Dongho noticed the guy leaning into the door frame only after he had just grossly spit the toothpaste from his mouth in front of the house owner. The two had initiated an awkward stare down. 

They were both wearing matching uniforms of bare minimum sleepwear. While Minhyun at least wore a tee, Donghos tattooed top half was exposed. 

Dongho blinked, realizing that the boy was just politely waiting on him to leave first so he could use the shower. “We can shower together.” His suggestion was so sudden that even his voice had sounded a pitch higher than normal.

Minhyun grinned to the offer, “Isn’t that what married couples do?” He seemed in a happy mood today, or at least for just now. Dongho hoped he could make it stay forever.

Dongho tilted his head almost as to pour something out of his right ear, “We are a couple, aren’t we?”

A bulb had lit inside of Minhyuns head, he never really saw this situation as such, but he guessed that’s what he could call it. For these past few days, they had been eating together, going to sleep together, kissing whenever Minhyun asked for it, even if Dongho never loved him.

“I guess now we are such a thing.” Minhyun shrugged, it was weird seeing Dongho being the one to bring it up though, maybe there was hope for him somewhere.

The two stood there, with kind of like a “so-what-now?” feeling eerily rising in the air. Dongho pulled Minhyun by the arm out of the doorframe and shut the door to keep the warmth in for the shower. They didn’t act strange when getting out of clothes, Minhyun had seen Dongho somewhat naked before and well, Kang had pretty much seen all there was to see too.

The men bumped close when the shower door behind him slid shut, and then the water valves were screwed to set the perfect temperature for the two. Turns out Minhyun liked cold, but it was too prickly for Donghos spoiled skin, he compared it to being inside of a blizzard and cranked the water up hot.

As soon as it actually came down to taking the sponge in hand and scrubbing away at dry skin, the two stopped to instead just stand under the shower, trying not to make the mistake of looking the wrong way.

Minhyun broke the law in seconds, looking down at the tattooed man standing in close proximity, who had trapped him tight in-between the wall of the shower and his own build. Donghos eyes showed some kind of hesitation, but the longer Minhyun tried to read them, the more he could track down some interest in them.

Donghos hand sneaked to the front of Minhyun, fingers tugging at nothing right above the mans stomach like a paw of a cat. “Can I touch here?”

“Touch? Sure.” Minhyun widened his eyes slightly to accommodate for his confusion. 

The suspiciously acting male rode his palm up from the lowest part of the mans stomach to his chest, making light faint contact as opposed to a full confident touch. He was doing a small game of exploration, seemingly trying to get himself comfortable to the other mans body.

Minhyun felt both enticed and turned off at the same time, it got him scared that Dongho would just snap his fingers away at any second and admit that there was no way he could ever touch the body of another man in such a way. The short male tried to be as careful as he can be to prevent that.

Dongho appeared to be so immersed, making careful and gentle movements across the boys jolting skin. Minhyun reached his own hand to hold Dongho back, feeling shy of a sudden touch.

Dongho knew he wasn’t disgusted by any of it at all. After his slow fingers had just slid soft over Minhyuns firm chest, it felt warm and nice, not scary.

The two met their vision, it was a hesitant and anxious stare, they still felt confused and clueless about committing anything physical. Dongho took a hold of Minhyuns small hand, his fingers arched in a frozen position, and slowly neared it his own chest.

The big guy had faint faded tan lines forming a small gradient of color where his hips expanded from his torso. All of his darker skin under falling water was stunning pretty.

Minhyuns fingertips made contact with the boys skin, standing idle while he was trying to decide if Dongho liked being touched or not. He certainly felt something jump in his chest, and all the hairs on his long tanned arms stand up. That reaction, even if small was precious to his friend.

Dongho lead the other hand to his face, where they dotted spots around Donghos lips just the same. Minhyuns fingers accidentally trembled touching the mans plump small lips, making him felt embarrassed.

The boy backtracked his hand, “Can I touch your tattoo?” The request was odd, but Dongho happily obliged to. Seeing Minhyuns pupils grow like cats just by letting the palm hug his ink covered muscle made Dongho weirdly proud.

The tallest poked around for a while, the inked skin of the chest was bouncy under the tip of his finger, Dongho flexed muscle to have it be firm for his friend.

“Nayoung once told she likes body tattoos too.” Minhyuns sudden words sent Donghos mind into a full halt, the air in the room had changed. 

“Well, do you like them?” He immediately rushed to ask instead to distract them both.

“Yeah.” He grinned as much as he could, “I love them.”

Hos finger trailed from Donghos chest over to his forearm to press into another tattoo. “I always wanted to get one.” Minhyun added. 

This was actually one of the few more things left on the list of rash stuff to do just for the thrill of it. He wanted to get something real ugly, something he’d regret getting.

“Don’t do it. They would not suit you.” Dongho obviously joked, however Minhyun somewhat agreed smiling right back at him.

Dongho was so glad to see the boy smile, it was rare these days, but still so rewarding. That smile however went off somewhere and a question grew on his lips instead.

“Dongho—?” Minhyun voiced it carefully, his eyes darting over to the mans lips as the first clue. 

The other made a shy chuckle, “You don’t have to ask me all the time. Just go for it.” He assured he was surely fine with kissing his best friend by now, even though his cheeks still burned red.

 

The tap of the shower had paused running, door left wide open since the two men had slid out and moved to the bed of the bedroom instead. Their bodies were quick out of the bathroom, laid in bed dripping wet into the sheets. With Dongho on top of the other, making out with the boy under.

The elbows of the two tangled trying to reach around one another’s shoulders and bring their mouths close. Minhyun lightly chewed on the other mans lip, gritting it gently in his teeth before pushing himself up from the water soaked sheets and invading the mouth of the shortest again while wide open.

When Minhyun shift in bed, he made it so that the other would be pushed underneath him. Thus, Dongho whined to himself in his head, thinking why did he have to end up being so short, it always gave Minhyun the upper hand and put him way in the lead.

Meanwhile Minhyun quite liked being in control over the other man, in his arms he was squeezed so squishy and small, adorable like a pet. Minhyun moved his long curved neck off to the side, his cheek slid past Donghos, and warm breath blew into the shell of his ear. 

Dongho grunt in place of him exhaling when feeling the other mans cool tongue trace the outer rim of his earlobe. It would tickle when Minhyun was starting to nibble or chew.

He placed his arms on the other mans chest as a natural response to shove him aside after the bastard had playfully poked his earhole to remove his hearing.

Minhyun saw it as a power move and only nudged himself to stand closer, grinning to the now blushing red ears of his friend. Dongho breathed cautiously low, his chest and Minhyuns were now pressed together and he had to pull his chin in to look down.

A hand had reached to Donghos jaw to hinge it back up, making the shorter male look directly into his eyes. They looked of distress and confusion, Minhyun laughed, the guy was simply just flustered. 

Then their lips met yet again, Dongho obediently parted his mouth first before Minhyun had even reached him. The guy was hungry for that kiss, more hungry than Minhyun.

The tallest started to notice the other boy begin to make ambitious movements, the contact of their hips made weird friction, and it definitely wasn’t coming from Minhyuns side. 

Dongho was bucking up his hips, mimicking a thrust. Minhyun kept a pleased eye on the other male, who’s grinding of the body gradually became more needy and desperate overtime.

After another long minute of rolling around in the sheets, the shortest had suddenly gasped, freaking out finally realizing how much his body had responded to just kissing, therefore he became embarrassed of Minhyun judging him for it.

The tall jerk just smirked, making a teasing face at the shorter boy now trying to hide his lap away from Minhyuns vicious staring and reaching hands. “Dongho,” He began, “Can I make you feel good?”

It took the other man a few confused blinks to process such a hard question, “Nng.” He nodded in caution.

The tallest kept his eyes on Dongho, while slowly lowering his height and crawling back away from the guys face. Dongho already saw where this was going, and he didn’t know what to expect, it was a bit risky, but at the same time he certainly had some interest to see where it would lead.

Minhyun had this sultry, dirty look in his eyes that he would not take off for just a second. The man glanced down at his friends excited dick only when he was already parting his lips around it. He flashed his ling pretty eyelashes and then immediately scrolled his pupils back up to see Donghos expression.

Dongho squeezed his eyes shut, hissing air into his lungs through gritted teeth. His hand pressed tight to the head of his friend, only his knuckles ghosting out of the boys wet unkempt hairs.

In a way the shortest didn’t dare to look down, it felt so good, but he was scared that if he saw Minhyuns face there, the realization would hit him harder than ever and he would accidentally push him away. Dongho didn’t know what else to do then though, just sitting there and using the body of his best friend without giving back seemed too selfish.

Dongho felt around the boys wet curls gathering in between his flexed fingers, the mans hand became gentle while petting Minhyuns head, and to him it felt like some kind of a reward. Minhyuns throat to made a sound or a purr in response, his tight lips sinking further down without holding back.

The guy was quite vicious and quick. His tongue was smooth yet sometimes it felt too rough. It teased him, twirling and riding over the wet tip, making Dongho lose his mind.

The poor guy had to count his breaths, lungs so full he felt like they could pop, although right now the one thing he worried about popping the most wasn’t exactly inside his chest.

The tallest slicked back, with droll and more stringing from his dirty proud mouth, all while still using those piercing, menacing eyes of his at Dongho. Even if the guy kept his eyes closed, he could still feel Minhyuns glare staring his way.

“Minhyun—” His voice came out all high pitched and embarrassing, “I am gonna finish soon, I think.”

“Is that so?” Minhyun mocked. “You p-punk.” Dongho couldn’t even get a word out at this dude.

The tortured male was twitching and leaking a mess while the other palmed him, fondling the guy by drawing gentle circles with his heated palm, causing Dongho to hiss out.

Minhyun leaned forward back into position despite the early warnings, holding his fingers sprawled out around Donghos thigh for support. His wet mouth had returned to that place, cheeks becoming hallow and then full, each time with a wet pop.

Dongho made a growl Minhyun could literally feel, and then after three high whimpers, the shortest shot his head into the clouds.

When he fell off, he had forgotten about mentally preparing to see his best friend after. The way he stared at him with his face wet and dirty made Dongho pull grimace, one that looked a lot like disgust.

“Ah.” Minhyun noted out loud, figuring Dongho had shown his true feelings right there of finding him putrid and unattractive. The boy saw his mistake quickly, “Please, don’t misunderstand.”

Minhyun acted like it didn’t matter, but his face was pale from disappointment, “Nah, It’s nothing.”

“I wasn’t trying to—” Dongho sounded like he might actually cry from his crime. He realized that look he had given Minhyun was not something that the insecure man deserved, and he was sorry.

“I told you it’s fine.” The tallest tried to crack a smile instead, prompting Dongho to leap into a suffocating hug with him.

Wishing he could be let go instead of having to deal with this right now, Minhyun decided that being in Donghos cuddles was too comforting, he could not push away.

“No it’s not, I am such an idiot. A moron.” Dongho continued to call himself the meanest of names. 

Dongho didn’t love him back and Minhyun didn’t just feel happy with him around anymore knowing he never will. Minhyun both needed him and needed him gone, and he couldn’t even decide for himself.

Minhyun gave in and hugged around Donghos far shoulders, resting his chin behind his friends shoulder, the other male hugged back even tighter.

 

Harsh breeze tugged at the colorful leaves still holding onto the frail trees. There weren’t many of those around Minhyuns apartment, tall houses of concrete and brick surrounded his gray and gloomy neighborhood. All the crumpled and torn leaves that were here laying on the ground got here by being carried by the wind from the other city districts.

Dongho shoveled his feet through such unkempt leaves layering the path to where the tall boy lived, he was carrying two bags of groceries each in one hand, both to keep the two of them fed over the weekend.

Lots of things were floating around Donghos mind, but it was all an encrypted mess he couldn’t quite understand himself. These days he didn’t even quite understand who was he himself anymore, the only thing that mattered him to him now was, who he was to Minhyun.

Maybe he was just being clingy, insecure or perhaps a hundred of other things, but he still really wanted to stay by Minhyuns side, protect him. Yet the silly idea of the two of them being happy together seemed so far away from where they were now.

The boy noticed something out of place when approaching the doorstep of the apartment, a strange man was banging and kicking on the door, yelling at Hwang to open. Luckily he wasn’t home.

The yelling and cursing became an awkward silence once Dongho stopped at the same door to enter. The stranger, who Dongho could only assume to be one of Minhyuns many ex-lovers, looked dumbfounded seeing an unknown man enter where Hwang lived.

The guy looked nothing quite like himself, he was tall and had a good face, wide shoulders and muscle towered above Dongho. It made the short male wonder what Minhyun had seen in him exactly, when all the others before him were the exact opposite of him.

Before the man could even ask if Hwang still even lived here, Dongho had quickly shut the door on him from inside, hoping he would not come back.

 

These mornings were starting to feel the same to Minhyun. He would wake up, eat the food his friend had made for him, then drive to work and back and sleep.

Dongho was part of his mornings now, for better or for worse, because his presence no longer made Minhyuns heart rush like it did once before, of course his warm feelings for the boy lingered, but just barely these days.

His friend wasn’t even smiling anymore like he used to either. That one thing Minhyun had loved the most about him had faded and Dongho was unhappy now all because of him. In a grim way they were the perfect match now.

They had to break this whole parade soon, Minhyun decided, there was no point of seeing any of this stretch out for much further. Donghos plan was not working and Minhyun had been right about it all along, he insisted.

“I want to do it.” Dongho begged Minhyun, trying to convince him he wouldn’t make a face this time, “Please, Minhyun.”

Minhyun didn’t believe him one bit, even if he was on his knees praying to him, it only made the tallest think of Dongho as someone gone miserable. Therefore, Minhyun kept turning him down, not believing he would ever be able to accept him at all.

Every time Minhyun tried to get up from his bedside, Dongho would purposely lean into his way to prevent it. Today for some reason, the guy was really convinced he could give his friend head.

For quite some time now, Dongho had became afraid his best friend now hated him, and sadly he wasn’t that far from the truth anymore. Minhyun both loved and hated him at the same time.

“I’ll be better I promise. I won’t disappoint you anymore.” The boys whining sounded so bad Minhyun could barely stand it anymore.

“You don’t have to, if you don’t want to.” Even though the man was nasty angry with the other, his hand felt gentle to Donghos cheek as he spoke.

“Stop saying that. I do want this!” He swore, determined to prove himself. The guy was so righteous, always acting braver than he actually was in the process of that.

Minhyun decided to play cruel, caressing his thumb over closer to the far corner of Donghos mouth, until he dipped it right in to reach his teeth.

“Show me how you actually won’t back out of it like you say you won’t.” Minhyun tested him. The boy gave the other with the look of confusion, his voice fell low, “H-huh?” 

The other male nodded his head, pointing at the rest of his fingers waiting for entry into the mouth, “Suck on these instead.“ He half joked, unconvinced that that his friend would even give in to such a thing.

Dongho supposed that if this is what took to gain the mans trust, even if it seemed humiliating, he just had to throw his pride aside and show he could commit.

Minhyun was in awe seeing his friend actually go for it, he had not expected for him to be this much of a fool to willingly ever stoop this low. Dongho could be happy with the girl of his dreams right now, but instead had Minhyuns two fingers crammed deep in his mouth, all the way to the knuckle.

He would close his eyes and pretend it was something else instead, acting it out and making a lewd face. The digits crushed together into a triangular shape when they reached in too far, Dongho tried not to bite, but it was hard to twirl them and suck them from all sides.

Thick coat of droll pooled under Donghos wide wet tongue, dividing the tight digits apart and eating out in between. His teeth glided over Minhyuns knuckles that he fought to reach for despite unable to take it that far in, while the fingers were moving painfully on their own and nearing the deepest end of his throat.

The guy sitting on his knees would occasionally pull them far out for a hot breath, letting out almost a steam like cloud, warmth came flooding from his dried out mouth. He pant, wishing somehow Minhyun had given him the real deal instead, it would be much less embarrassing, less confusing.

The boy lowered one of his hands to his lap, beginning to shamelessly palm himself through his shorts while sucking on Minhyuns dripping hand again. The tall male had been watching it all with the blankest expression on, but now that he had noticed the other male begin to give himself pleasure without permission, he decided to get more involved. 

“Huh,” He sounded interested enough, watching a hand press tight in between the boys knees some more, cupping through the fabric, riding back and forth.

“Hey, stop doing that.” He told him, to see if he would and he did, only after making a displeased face. The boy continued to suck up Minhyuns hand, while his legs quivered by themselves ever so often, his own hand ready to return.

Minhyun had his eyes peeled on the man like a painting at a museum, the guy was actually listening to him. 

“Put it back.” He commanded to see if he would obey once more, and Dongho was more than happy to.

He grunt into the boys fingers, strings of spit shedding from the inside of and down the rest of the wet palm. But now the hand moved more furiously in his lap, fingernails practically digging into the shorts wanting to claw through. The outline was now clear and visible.

“Put it away.” Minhyuns voice came like a stab, Dongho hesitated, but did it anyway. His breaths had become erratic and forceful, his forbidden hand was almost trembling wishing to pat himself more and more. The guy didn’t have to listen to Minhyun, but he still did, and to the other that was absolutely fascinating.

Minhyun purposely waited for a longer moment this time, watching the male suffer and his eyes sting bought some kind of weird satisfaction. Yet it still wasn’t nearly as fun as watching Dongho moan and cum, but still exciting nonetheless.

A sound of an annoyed sigh came from above Dongho. He blinked open his eyes to see if he had done something wrong again, but was met with Minhyuns face ten times closer than it was just now a second ago.

The other had dropped onto the floor to level with Dongho. “Let me help you.” Minhyun requested his friend to let him near and undo this mess.

Dongho made at least ten quick nods to the question. He hadn’t gotten a handjob from the guy for a long while now, and his own hand didn’t quite work on himself anymore ever since Minhyun had touched him.

Minhyun was starting to see the same kind of excitement, even if Dongho was perhaps just using him, the fact that he could make him feel good made it worth something.

After unloading the boys shorts from his legs, it had become apparent that the inside of Donghos briefs already in process of getting was embarrassingly wet. The shy big guy hid his face behind his large balled up fist. 

“You fool.” Minhyun mumbled.

The guys dick pounced out proud and glowing in color matching the same one on Donghos cheeks. Minhyun used his now wet, lubed hand and began to stroke. His palm was running laps, holding on to the head of it with a loose grip.

Dongho covered his mouth not wanting to hear himself sound bad, barely able to keep hiding it when Minhyuns touches soon after they gained speed. The boy was almost boiling inside of Minhyuns thrusting hand, his veins throbbing with blood all gushing to one part of his body.

With that, Donghos heart was starting to pound at his chest, it caused the color in his face to drain and eyesight worsen, he would instead start to visualize weird made up shapes and symbols in front of him that weren’t actually there. 

The other male did not fall off, his hand racing along side the guys shaft, tugging and pulling at the swelling skin. There was a sudden spark in Donghos stomach, starting out from something small deep within him, growing into something very large.

“Ah, Minhyun—” He moaned, feeling himself near. 

Pretending to be clueless Minhyun was moving his hand even more viciously, skin extending under his tight grip with each of the new rough pulls. He viewed the boys face carefully, and just before his pupils went huge like they always did, Minhyun let go.

Dongho wanted to cry at the loss of touch, helplessly twitching at nothing for there to hold him. Desperate, he reached his own hand, but Minhyun smacked it away to instead watch him squirm and beg. The tall bastard had only done it to play around for a bit, but his best friend looked like he would die if he didn’t get to cum, and Minhyun also couldn’t bear looking at him all tortured and red for too long.

Minhyuns other hand found Donghos cheek again, his mouth was shiny with spit and it was way too tempting not to drive his thumb over the mans plump bottom lip to wipe him. Right after that, he placed a kiss on the now dry lips of the man.

He resumed quickly after, bringing that deep gut feeling back to Donghos tummy and he was already ready to finish again. Minhyun let him have it, and the most beautiful voice came from his throat, it was like a cross in between a high pitched moan and a long cry, but to Hwang it sounded more like a pretty song.

The boy fell forwards into Minhyuns wide shoulders, panting, as well as, breaking into gasps and slobbering sobs for air. Pearls of white rolled over Minhyuns short fingers that still protectively held on.

Dongho was mumbling something, his voice could barely get out, “I love you, I love you.” He was being genuine, hoping Minhyun would finally trust his ability to love him now.

“I love you.” Dongho repeated again, and Minhyun hugged the boys head close, telling himself over and over in his mind not to fall for that lie. 

“I love you more.” He stated.

 

A broom rhythmically swept across floor, from one end of the living room to the other going under the dark furniture, and a pair of clumsy feet followed close behind to wherever it went.

In these past days stuff in Minhyun shitty apartment had doubled, since Dongho had pretty much forcefully made himself move in here. The colorful pillows the boy once had in his bedroom now happily decorated Minhyuns living room couch to make it his own. Few plastic bags had already been lined up the walls for days, nothing would be able to fit into the closets anymore, but there were yet more to come.

The cleaning paused, Dongho had stopped because he had to sneeze, he was sure the dust from under the beds that he had previously inhaled had probably glued itself to the walls of his lungs by now, shortening his future lifespan.

He had bought more of his stuff over, mostly it being clothing though, because it felt bothersome to always overload Minhyuns washing machine with clothes he had to cycle back in every two days, the guy would away nag about it. Dongho didn’t know how to make up for the mess, so he did one thing he hated the most, cleaning for Minhyun.

The guy put the big broom away to overturn and pat down the very misplaced cushions sprawled out on Minhyuns couch, but right then his eye had caught a glimpse of something else.

The photo memorial of Minhyuns friends stared from above him like of a ghostly reminder. Dongho felt unwell looking at it after only a minute, so he couldn’t imagine what Minhyun must of feel like seeing that every day, back to back. Would a thing like this up in his living room even make him happy, would it help him cope and forget.

The pictures fluttered even from the slighted wind of movement that Dongho had caused when he reached to straighten one of the pictures. He noticed that they were barely hanging on, held by a sticky bit of rubber on the behind.

One such piece of rubber stood by itself in an odd spot, shaping a frame of a missing photo, Dongho rushed to look for it, pushing a gap in-between the wall and the large couch. In the pile of web at the bottom laid the missing photograph.

Dongho quickly pushed the couch back, fearing Minhyun would come back home any minute to witness his guest making a ruckus again. Dongho bent his knee under himself sitting down to clean the picture first. One strong blow of air sent the veil of dust darting around the room in all directions.

Dongho looked at the photo in confusion, it was a couple photo featuring Minhyun and one of his best friends. The tall boy looked so happy and smiley, while the other unknown male had nudged his nose into the side of his neck, tickling him into a laugh.

The next second the ground outside of the apartment door started to rustle, in panic Dongho hopped from the couch.

Minhyun found the boy acting guilty like a misbehaving puppy, standing and looking at the floor with his hands tied behind his back. 

“Hey.” He called out feeling pretty much indifferent to everything today like any other day. That was until he saw the large paper bag of clothes Dongho had placed on the glass coffee table he had yet to explain.

“Oh, that.” Dongho awkwardly chuckled, his voice shy of admitting to his crimes, “It’s getting colder these days.”

Somehow Minhyun didn’t believe him, Dongho was probably just pulling tricks to only further move into his house without telling him, and then when he would have been living here for long enough, the guy is just going to claim not wanting to move out anymore. Minhyun was sure of it.

Dongho suddenly ran up to him, holding his hand to distract him from thinking, “Lets go outside tonight, getting out of here will be good for both of us.” 

He actually looked excited with himself, something had certainly gotten into him tonight, and how could Minhyun turn down a face like that.

“Is this an excuse for you to wear your new clothes?” Minhyun spoke while trying to unzip his own jacket, but Dongho sneaked up to drive said zipper still held right back up to his chin, eager to go out exactly right this second.

“No,” Dongho sounded hurt and offended by such an accusation, his eyes darting from right to left, but never quite up where Minhyun stood. 

“It’s a date.” The guy spoke like he was getting nervous, “Oh?” Then Minhyuns response had made him actually nervous.

The short man nervously bit his lip before taking a step back, “Give me a sec to put this on.” He clawed at the bag and disappeared into one of the dark rooms in the back, leaving something behind on the same table.

Minhyun saw the photograph he had almost forgotten about, he hadn’t even noticed it gone until now. Dongho had must of seen it then, he was curious to know what the guy must of thought seeing it, or was a detail like even significant at all to matter.

 

The two walked the streets slow, side by side past all the lit shopping store windows, following the yellow trail of early winter holiday lights trailing from one lamp post to the other along their path.

Dongho was thinking about going over to the river, but there was not much to see there out in the dark now after missing the short sunset, the two settled for walking to the neighborhood park.

His finicky eyes took note of Minhyuns pale hands dangling out in the cold, fingertips grown pink and sore. Without asking Dongho stole the boys hand and stuffed it inside of a pocket along with his own, intertwining their fingers to create warmth.

Minhyun looked at him with a spooked expression, the small gesture had been so miniscule to Dongho, but for Minhyun it made his frozen heart melt down to a puddle.

He began to think, what could it have been like if the two somber men had met differently, as different people – would then they’d be able to love more?

Dongho had nicked the best swing set in town, sitting proud in his new throne while happily chewing on the biggest corn dog known to man.

Minhyun gently swayed his feet back and forth making little movement on his own swing, while busy with staring at Dongho gorge himself with that giant treat.

“You want some?” Dongho mistook his stare for lust of food. No, the tallest was looking at him not the food, he wanted him. 

Minhyun shook his head and chuckled, “Nah, I don’t think I can even finish my own.”

Dongho rummaged in his seat trying to wipe his hands first before stealing Minhyuns smaller treat off his stick, “Oh sweet, I’ll just eat this then.”

Minhyun smiled it off, looking straight ahead into the distance where dark buildings stood, every other window lit with bright light, creating a pattern of color. 

“I saw you looking at girls at the stand earlier.” He mentioned, sounding strangely happy and in relief about it.

“Girls?” Dongho sounded clueless, too preoccupied with the food in his mouth.

“There’s no crime in just looking.” Minhyun tried to convince himself and Dongho that he had been caught staring, even if he wasn’t. It wasn’t to test his loyalty, but rather to talk him into understanding that maybe he was better off with dating someone else, and that Minhyun was only holding him back.

Dongho thought about it real hard, but he couldn’t remember, “I think the food vendor was male.” That was all he could conclude.

Minhyun nodded to himself, looking down at his own feet in silence. Dongho was not the kinda guy with whom you could shift his tide. The tallest was really stuck with this idiot that couldn’t love him.

After a while of pondering, Dongho seemed to be done with his food. It was certainly a good thing seeing him in a happy mood, right before the working day would swings right back around and make him all grumpy and quiet again. Dongho really did not suit his own job at the office, truth be told Minhyun could tell he hated it all along.

“Well, let’s head back to my house now.” Minhyun sighed, putting the strength in his tired knees to lift himself up. “Wait.” Dongho suddenly spoke.

Minhyun waited for words of a follow-up, but instead he got Dongho waddling up to him and hugging his puffy jacket arms around him. Minhyun tried to conceal a small smirk that was forming.

“I don’t want to go home yet.” Dongho whispered, dreading returning to the bed only to have to wake up to return to work at the office where everyone always side eyed him.

Sounds of the city played in the background all while the two bodies stood idle, shined on by a white light cast by the buzzing park lamp. Minhyun was waiting on Dongho to let go, but that moment wouldn’t come.

“We are in a public, someone will see us if you keep hugging like this.” The tallest teased him to let go. Dongho nudged his head away from it being pressed into his friends neck and looked at him with big sappy eyes.

He then looked around the quiet park for a spot, “Lets hide up there then.” Dongho point his chin at a castle tower on top of the playground slide. Minhyun normally wouldn’t give in to Kangs dumb ideas, maybe just this one.

The two huddled together under a hooded tower roof made of colorful plastic, the room up here was barely a fit for a adult sized toddler like Dongho plus himself. Itfelt like they two were kids again, hiding somewhere from their parents and counting few stars together, sneaking warm kisses on the coldest parts of each others faces. 

Dongho wore one of his winter mittens and Minhyun wore the other, the two sat in the tight space as tight as can be to stay warm while the night continued to cool.

Silence grew between them, but it was good silence, one where they could almost understand each other without words. Eventually Minhyun threw a glance in the dark at his friend, his hair nested on top of his shoulder like a pillow. It really felt like he was being loved like this and it felt good being loved.

The tallest made the first move to rise up and leave via the door hole for the slide, but Dongho held him back by the leg. Minhyuns large clumsy limbs didn’t help him at all and when he fell backwards, Dongho caught him just barely from plunging down the slide to his doom.

The shortest blinked in shock and Minhyun blinked back. It wasn’t anywhere a near death experience, but Dongho still couldn’t be more glad, kissing the man in his arms without question.

The tallest gave up trying to avoid his sloppy puppy kisses and made them serious. They went slow and careful while bodies pressed tight, hot breaths poured like steam out of a chimney whenever the two made an opening during their miserable excuse of a make out.

But in their defense, it was dark, pitch black. The only way was to feel each other around and just settle the disputes over accidentally kicking or pulling one another along the way. Donghos hands became desperate in search for finding a way inside of Minhyuns wool coat, even worse, he had even lost his mitten doing so.

Minhyun felt a cold hand press flat against the inside of his shirt unexpected, it was speedy and already reaching up his chest before he called it out, “Woah, were are you touching, on this children’s playground?”

Dongho paused realizing the two had not apparently been on the same page about this, “I’m sure other people have done this right in this very same spot too!” The voice in the dark tried to justify it’s sinful actions, taking his hands off on command.

Minhyun laughed at the idea, “That just makes it worse!” His cackle was so loud it could be her from under the tower of the slide and far into the empty playground lot, while Dongho nervously chuckled behind him at a volume barely any louder than his own breath.

Dongho sat himself back up, his posture was telling of him being serious, “Hey, Hwang. Sorry for not asking you this before, but – how are you feeling?”

Minhyun waited a second to answer, not really understanding the meaning behind the question too well, “I’m okay.”

That answer didn’t fully satisfy Dongho, but he had already expected to hear that from Hwang by now, “I want you to be happy.”

“Isn’t it the same?” The boy replied.

Dongho would shake his head and sulk to himself, “Being just okay sounds quite a while from being happy, doesn’t it?” 

Minhyun stopped to stare at the man sitting in the dark with him, and another big smile began to grow painfully wide on his face, “You are so damn cute.”

An unexpected pat of a hand brushed the top of Donghos hair, ruffling him up to look like the top of a birds nest. The guy obviously did not like being treated like a kid, and when a thunder broke far in the distance, it was almost as if Donghos angry pout had something to do with it.

 

There was a rainstorm later that night, the two barely got home before it really started pouring, but they could not escape getting wet by it. Soaked and exhausted, Dongho had thrown himself in the sheets to sleep right away, leaving his friend to sit by the bed and watch the rain drops blur the bedroom window. 

The lights of houses, cars and street decoration all became just colorful blips behind the crying glass window. There was nothing left to see outside, and to allow Dongho sleep better, he folded the curtain shut. Sneaking in bed with him moments later.

Dongho was there, snoring beside him, but Minhyun was too gloomy with his own thoughts now to remember to hug him. It was starting to hit him, whatever it was, some kind of a feeling or a weird emotion, that always took him and dragged him away from anything that bought him joy at the end of the day right before sleeping.

Whenever Minhyun had a bit of fun from time to time, he always had to go back to being lonely. To him loneliness had almost become like his new home where he would always end up returning. He supposed that being like this was just his was his default self now, and let it happen.

He was sure Dongho had nothing to do with it this time, the boy truly made him happy for a while, but a person like him couldn’t always stay happy.

Minhyun had spent countless nights thinking what would it feel like to lay down and pass away in your sleep, would then anything change at all. The idea of there an afterlife following a death sounded undesirable by now, he had gotten more infatuated with the idea of there being nothing at all. A dark place were no thought or action exists, just an eternal state of solitude, that was his idea of paradise.

Minhyun reopened his eyes to face the boring ceiling above him, with the same old cracks and stains he had gotten so tired of seeing. 

The more he stared, the foreign his own room started to appear. He felt melancholy remembering how his old hometown bedroom looked like, back when his parents were still around. He finally let his eyes shut and mind wander off before drifting into a sweet dream of the past.

Minhyun wanted to go home, his childhood home where he would first take a bath and then go sleep early, and when he wakes up for breakfast he would go eat out with his best friends, then they would all head to school together.

However, all of a sudden came the grim realization that when he wakes up from his dream he won’t be doing any of that. He had long graduated from high school, left the town, and his friends were no longer around either.

 

He woke up when it was bright again finding Dongho clinging to him in his sleep like a loyal pet. A long tired sigh came from his dried out throat, he had no idea what to do now with this guy thrown at him in the midst of all this.

Him moving in bed made Dongho jolt awake, the big guy yawned, “Is it weekend already?” Minhyun just sighed and shook head to his nagging.

The tallest sat there thinking about how much he didn’t want to get out of bed this morning, just stay in and not move at all. Dongho wasn’t making it any easier by being there. The guy had become only a little less than being an inconvenience for Minhyun.

Dongho slowly crawled towards him in bed on his elbows, he had a weird look in his eyes already, like he was about to do something mischievous. Minhyun sighed again, “What is it?”

The tone of his voice made Dongho worried, he suddenly lost a bit of confidence, but he did not lose his morning want. “Minhyun can I do it—?”

The tallest wouldn’t be in his right mind to decline a willing Dongho, but there was a very pressing problem that came with it. “You know, you might not like what you might find in my pants, right?”

The boy scoffed and pulled himself forward, sliding across the sheets to get his head right above Minhyuns lap. “I want to. Just because you are a man don’t mean a thing to me no more.” He made sure to add to emphasize he wasn’t only just doing it from the kindness of his heart.

“Sure.” The tallest gave in, telling himself he was only letting it go down out of boredom.

The tallest grinned at the pretty locks from above, all messy early in the morning, and Donghos chin felt a lot more scruffy too. Minhyuns vision went up to glance at the rest of him, the boy was on his knees, spine stretched out long. He wished he could somehow see the man from his back, the boys hips were wide enough to make him look like toppled pear from this angle.

His friend just went for it without hesitation, as if he had a sweet tooth for it, mouth kissing damp circles through Minhyuns underwear to where his dick was kept. His tongue slick up and below much like he was licking a candy. The guy had surely learned this thing quick, suspiciously quick.

At a time like this like this, Minhyun wished he could pull out a cigarette like in the movies and huff some smoke while Dongho did his stuff. The only thing stopping him was of course the jerk below his waist, who’d probably kill him for it.

Dongho grinded his teeth biting and pulling into the fabric trying to tease through, wetting it to the point of his underwear becoming see-through in noble act of trying to cup Minhyuns swelling shape with his mouth through the cloth.

However, Minhyun couldn’t really get into it right now, he took the underwear off himself and made his friend continue like this instead. Dongho was of course hesitant at first when facing raw skin, but soon his lips still found a way on skin and he began to mimic whatever he had probably seen in porn before, Minhyun could tell.

But the man certainly looked pretty doing it, Mnhyun couldn’t complain. Those long dark eyelashes and puffy cheeks, hair brushed to the side or swept behind his earlobe, and that blissful look of peace on his face was one of a kind. Dongho looked rather like he was the one receiving rather than giving, judging by his expression alone.

The guy was a little clumsy, sucking it from all sides before putting it in his mouth, lightly chewing with just his lips and tongue to ear a good reaction, but to his dissapointment none came.

Even thought it was all Minhyun could ever have wished for before, he was still not quite feeling it. He figured that as long as there was a chance Dongho was only doing this out of pity, he could never enjoy it. 

“Hey, can you stop please?” He whined.

Dongho accidentally ignored the plea and kept deliciously riding his tongue for another second, until realizing his friend was serious. “Huh?” He mumbled in confusion.

“I don’t like it, lets cut it out.” Minhyun pushed Dongho away by the forehead before the boy could even react and began to sit away.

Dongho was left dazed and clueless, his face showed clear panic, “Wait, just let me try again. I’ll give you a better blowjob this time, I promise.” He begged, scared he had done something ill. However that sad face of his only made Minhyun more upset.

“Why do you even want to do it so bad? I’m can do it better with my own hand.” The tall male lied, hating how persistent this guy was for someone who claimed himself to be straight.

His blushing red face didn’t help his case, the man collected his words before saying something shameful out loud, “I want to make you cum from my mouth.” The short male spoke in such grieving manner, it had almost made Minhyun laugh.

“You did it to me, so I want to do it to you too.” His fingers squeezed up so tight the other man could see them pale.

Minhyun tilted his head both angry and confused by such a vocal confession, “You aren’t even attracted to men, but still want a dick. You must really be a pervert.” He joked.

“I—” Dongho became frustrated to the point of rage, he sat up in bed to outright beg of Minhyun to just trust him, “I just really do – love you.”

The tallest cringed not wanting to hear it be said, it was hard to believe something so impossible. Why would be doing this out of love, there would be so many other ways for him to express it if he was. But yet those words sounded so sweet Minhyun felt himself slipping anyway.

“Do you really?” Minhyun flinched his chin at the other man who then nodded frantically, so now he didn’t know what to believe. Perhaps Dongho was in fact actually that foolish.

Minhyun reached his arms long to pull the other man into a hug of apology, Dongho deserved an it for Minhyun from doubting him every minute of the way.

The words came out softly from Minhyuns mouth, “If you do this just to prove something—” 

Dongho flinched out of Minhyuns hug to snap at him, “I’m doing it because I clearly want it.” He took the deepest breath, “Minhyun I want to try doing even more than just this from now on. I want to make love with you.”

Minhyun could have been laughing at how formal Dongho had been sounding, but knowing how much Dongho would hate him for even snickering right now, he stayed static. “Huh.” He noted.

“Don’t think either of us are ready for that.” Minhyun comment and Dongho nervously agreed, his thumbs nibbled pink in his lap.

The shortest suddenly jolted as if remembering something, “I mean, its not that I don’t want to sleep with you now,” He sounded so shaken, “You have probably had so many other boyfriends in the past, but me? Not even with a woman, I’ve never—”

Minhyun cut him off, a smile already creeping on his face, “I see.” Dongho shut himself up, maybe he was just being unreasonable, his best friend was sure to understand.

“Dongho, how old are you?” Minhyun asked in a mocking tone making the other man want to bite him back and snarl. “You bigmouthed punk.” Was all he could slip out.

No wonder this guy had been so desperate to find himself a woman, he probably had never even been with one past the kissing part. It was funny, maybe in the end, the guy had really given up on girls.

The tallest laughed it off spreading his arms for a hug, but when Dongho happily rushed to him, his head was redirected down to Minhyuns lap where it had been once before. 

“Alright now, didn’t mean to interrupt.” He apologized in the least gentleman like manner, still smiling to himself. Dongho groaned out of spite, “What was that earlier about your hand being better than me then, you bastard?”

“I was just teasing ya’.” Minhyun began to comb the boys hair nice and neat with his fingers to make up for it. “Bet.” That bundle of hair groaned in response.

From there Minhyuns vision turned into blur, his whole room started to feel like it was behind a foggy piece of glass. The boys lips were again tight around him, folding back and forth on rails along the sides of the length made by his own spit. His cheeks would be turn puffy and soft, then they hallow and sultry the next second, especially when he threw a glare up at Minhyun in the moments in-between.

Fucking his innocent face like this almost felt like some kind of wrongdoing, but he was willing to ride to hell and back if it felt this good. In heat of the moment, Minhyun began to pull the boys hair to guide him faster on himself, veins and muscle throbbing beneath his heated skin.

“Dongho—” Minhyun breathed his lungs out. Slowly his head began to arch backwards to the ceiling, and at the same time, his fingers flexed into the tightest grip over his friends scalp.

Dongho understood the prior warning, but he didn’t wish to back off before seeing it through. He made wicked sounds with his mouth, all kinds of gross slurps and pops that drove his friend absolutely mad.

The tallest whimpered as he came into the mouth of the other, thick strings flooded from the innocent edges of his mouth. Dongho wasn’t the type to outright insult someone over something so personal, but he certainly had not expected this much of Minhyun.

In quick realization, the tallest placed his hand right over Donghos mouth to forbid him from what he was about to do. “If you really love me then swallow.” The tall bastard had become all smug watching Dongho look desperate to spit. 

A glug slid right down the guys sweaty throat after a second of hesitation. Minhyun removed his hand in surprise, looking at his clean palm and back at Dongho just casually staring at him. “What?” The guy had the guts to ask.

The tallest had only been joking, he didn’t mean it and now that the other had actually done such a thing he was left partially freaked out.

 

The wind had been howling all day outside, lifting the last of autumn leaves high up into a spiral towards the sky. Large office windows would withstand the loud breeze muting its sound completely, the only thing making noise in this office was a loud yawn coming from the lobby desk.

The same woman how had previously failed to interview Minhyun about Donghos private matters sat alone waiting for something to happen over this long work day, elbows folded on the high table and jaw stuck permanently open in boredom.

As soon as her other female colleague passed her, she woke from sitting half dead at the desk with a manly snort, and rushed head first to greet her. 

“Nayoung! Hey!” The female cheered before the grumpy face of her friend took her back, “Someone is not in a good mood.”

Nayoung made a sarcastic laugh, stopping to unload stuff from her purse onto Eunwoos desk. She was being very finicky today, the things just kept slipping from her fingers.

“Sorry, I hate it when people can tell.” The woman supposed that her stone faced expression was both a blessing and a curse in these types of situations, “Didn’t mean to worry you.”

“Oh, its not me that is worried.” The other female giggled behind her wrist, remembering how the heart of every man in the office was throbbing from the pain of seeing miss Nayoung be sad. 

Nayoung nodded, not really in the mood to make further comments on that. She put the items she had just taken out of her bag right back in, like there wasn’t even a point of the action. She was either just keeping herself busy from thinking of something, or already so nervous that she was starting to count things in her bag just to make sure nothing was missing. It looked silly on the outside and she knew.

The fellow female bit her lip in worry, her friend was now really acting stranger than ever, and she guessed it was all because of that man she barely even knew.

“Hey, you know, it’s not worth it for you to go around chasing that guy no more.” She spoke honest from heart to heart, but Nayoung just shook her head.

“Everyone thinks that, but it is not about me chasing him. I’m worried for him, as a friend.” She turned to her friend with that scary expression, sliding her bag off the desk.

She continued, “I grew to know him more than anyone in the last days before we broke it off, he had already become shaken, nervous, and he wouldn’t tell me why.”

The other woman nodded pretending to understand, her eyes wide and glued to her friend. Nayoung could tell her friend obviously didn’t see it the same way she did, “I am afraid for him, Eunwoo.” She added another deep sigh, “I know he is not like that.”

Eunwoo slowly changed her stance, feeling bad for Nayoungs misfortune, “I hope you are not blaming yourself.” The nervous woman thought about it, but couldn’t decide, “I just— don’t even know anymore.”

Nayoung calmed her down before deciding to find a way to address this before it begins to eat her alive, “I am going to talk to him.”

 

Dongho stood back pressed against the coffee machine, sipping from his cup instead of going back up to his desk. His eyes suspiciously waited for a certain someone to appear at the door, ignoring all others passing to give him dirty looks for blocking the only good coffee dispenser in this wing of the building. 

Minhyun didn’t even notice him standing there when he first came in, but then almost mechanically, his eyes scrolled to the corner of their sockets noticing Dongho on a lookout, about to witness him sneaking out onto the balcony to have a secret smoke. Dongho still hadn’t found a place in the house where the jackass kept them, perhaps someone here was handing out contraband to the guy, so he was determined to cut off the supplier.

The tall male didn’t say a word in defense, taking his guilty self right out the door before Dongho could say something embarrassing to him about it.

On his way out his shoulder almost hit Nayoung coming in the same doorframe, she barely brushed past him only to find Dongho alone in the lobby and made the mental connection that something was going on between the two again, an argument or a fight perhaps.

As soon as Dongho saw her he began to storm off quick in an almost childish avoidant manner, Nayoung felt like a fool for trying to follow him.

“Dongho can we talk for a moment?” He heard her voice from behind, after she had stalked him all the way up to the floor where he worked at, finding him again at his desk.

He sighed, now that he had the eyes of his fellow co-workers on him as well he was forced to talk to her in order not to look like a complete douchebag.

“What is it?” He spoke in a defeated voice, just looking at her face alone made him sad, he missed her, but he did not want to feel that way anymore. So just having her around made Dongho afraid he might have a sudden change of heart for her.

“What’s wrong?” She noticed.

“Nothing, I’m fine. I’ve been fine.” He shrugged, avoiding looking into her eyes to give away more clues.

She disagreed, “Dongho you look horrible, just please tell me what is going on?” Nayoung started to sound even more distressed, “I am worried about you, for the past days you have been acting so strange, and it has only gotten worse.”

“Why?” Dongho uttered angry under his breath, it scared her, “Why do you keep trying to read into my life?” He spoke quiet and low just so nobody else could hear, but everyone’s ears were sharp, nobody in the long office room even dared to flick a pen or turn a page over.

“Isn’t it obvious, Kang?” She admitted to him that she still had feelings for him even if he had turned her down a while back.

“I told you we could only be friends, and to be quite frank, now that you are being like this, now I don’t want that either.” He spoke, not trying to sound all that nice anymore.

Nayoung couldn’t recognize him, he was out of his character, “This is not the real you Dongho, I know you by now.”

Dongho knew he was being cruel, but all he could think of was Minhyun and how he did it all to protect him, instead of killing him by going back to her only because small feelings for her still existed in his heart.

The whole room waited for his response, holding in their breaths just to hear better. “Just leave me alone.” He wished she would just disappear.

 

“I heard you made quite a scene back there.” A voice commanded him from inside of his car as he stepped in.

Minhyun was lounging inside and speaking while trying to light that cigarette, hoping his friend had already given up judging him for it now that he had other things on his plate. Of course Dongho wasn’t okay with this, after all he had moved in with him in the first place just to prevent Minhyun from doing ill things like this to himself.

It didn’t take Dongho a second to decide and grab the already lit cigarette into his fist, he hissed from the fresh burn for a second, but tossed it out the open car window the next.

Minhyun opened his mouth to yell at him, both from anger of being robbed his last smoke, and also in grief over Donghos injury, but gave up understanding had been his fault. The shortest waved his hand in air, clasping and reopening it until it stopped to throb. This was certainly one way to get that bastard off smoking for sure.

“Sorry Dongho.” Minhyun apologized. “It’s whatever.” The other male just shrugged.

Minhyun asked for Donghos hand with the most gentle look in his eyes, carefully unlocking his fingers to see how bad it had been. There wasn’t blood to see, but sore red skin stuck out like a button in the middle of the palm already on its way of developing into a painful blister.

The tallest folded his hand back closed and kissed him across the fingers, blowing cool breath into the hurting palm of his friend, his focused vision reflecting low light as he stared into the still eyes of his friend.

Seemingly out of nowhere Dongho jolted forwards feeling the need to kiss him, surprising the other as they were still in the parking garage where people gathered after work, anyone could have seen them just now.

The man was pent up, Minhyun could tell. He was just so sick of it all at this point, coming in at work everyday only to be treated with the same disgusted looks, still having to deal with his now ex girlfriend breathing down his neck. These days he had nothing to be peaceful about, just the boy sitting ahead of him right now.

Minhyun bought him calmness, even thought the boy was anything but that. Dealing with Minhyun was like dealing with an open flame, but he was still drawn to it. No matter how dangerous, the soothing warm light inside of his best friend was the one thing that made it all worth, and recently, it was what was keeping him sane.

“Dongho, someone will seriously see.” Minhyun panicked and pulled back. “I don’t care, let them see.” The man continued to hug him instead of kissing him, his hands tugging at his own belt out of line of sight through the dark tinted windows. 

“Woah, woah! Hang on.” Minhyun wasn’t too against it, but knew this would be risky, happening at their workplace and all.

“Let’s move to the back at least.” He suggested, and the two quickly squeezed over the seats to find room on the seats at the back.

“Are you sure you will be able to drive home after this?” Minhyuns smug sounding question made aggressively Dongho tilt his chin, “Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Right, lets make it quick.” Minhyun reassured himself they better do this soon, before anyone else appears and notices their shadowy figures in the back of the car.

The seats made sound of shifting under the weight of the two bodies. Donghos hand sprawled out behind him as a support when backing up further against the door of the car, Minhyun hovered him by sitting on his knees.

Donghos breaths warmed Minhyuns neck, his hands squeezed tight into his jacket. They exchanged tame kisses, staring into each others eyes in the dark. Their arms moved slow and anxiously trying to find zippers to pull and buttons to pop on each others jackets.

Dongho gasped once Minhyun found way to his chest, only a button up shirt prevented him from being stripped fully. The tallest felt him through the shirt, muscles and bumps underneath the fabric forming full shapes that could be grabbed and squeezed, and when Minhyun did Dongho would whine and nag about it out loud.

The pants were easier to get off, now that the jacket was gone first, Dongho didn’t at all notice his bottoms all going down at once, Minhyun had deliberately kissed him right then to distract him.

The two parted from the sloppy rushed kiss, sitting foreheads pressed close, breathing heavy at one another after losing breath fighting over clothes. Dongho looked down to where Minhyuns hands were, fingers lightly brushing over the head of his dick, his index began pressing back and forth up against the slit to get him warmed up.

“Dongho, I can hear cars.” Minhyun whispered freezing his hand.

The shortest was a fool, that is what made him not afraid, “Sure, if anyone found out I was laying with a man maybe they would stop blaming me for dumping that woman.” Dongho joked.

Minhyun wanted to smack him, the jackass should know better not to act like this. The tallest had to grin at his friend while waiting for the set of tires to finally drive past.

The light of those headlights flashed into their backseat for just a split second, and then it was gone. But in that short second Donghos eyes had burned with a pretty color much like glowing embers.

Mesmerized by him, Minhyun drooped low as soon as he got the chance, his eyes still locked on the opposite boy even though his spine was curved low. Dongho watched the other man take him in his mouth and then shut his eyes.

He began to pant when his best friend sucked tight and quick. When he saw the man at work, Dongho couldn’t stay away not to sweet the boys messy hair to the side under his palm, his heart instantly began to pick up and eyes water.

They could still hear other cars, even human voices, but they just kept going. Minhyun tried to stay quiet, his lips wrapped squeezing around the head of the mans dick, but it was a very futile effort considering Dongho ruined it with his loud breathing, his quiet whining.

Minhyun got himself off and replaced his mouth with his hand once Dongho started to accelerate, he made begging gasps and squeaks, looking back and forth at his friend at himself like he were in panic.

Dongho was getting close, Minhyun did his best to speed his hand, make it fast and painless before more cars could come around.

The shortest suddenly pushed out his chest, his eyes popping wide like they were about to leap from their sockets. He had purposely tried to hold himself off when remembering something he deemed important enough to make this stop.

“Minhyun, no wait. The seats, they wont wash out.” He whined making his friend halt to chuckle. Really, from all the things he could be worried about this was the one.

The other boy sounded teasing of him, “Well, then do you want it or nah?” Minhyun found the hesitant command to hold off his friend seconds away from climax amusing.

Dongho hated making quick choices, his body was in a state where he only had seconds to decide if his overreaction was worth it or not.

“I do I want to, I want to. Please let me.” Dongho cried, unable to stop twitching inside of his best friends palm. His forehead rained with sweat.

“You don’t need to beg so much, I was just kidding.” The tallest laughed it off, but it still made his eyes spark and ears red.

Minhyun happily listened to his cute mumbles about wanting to cum, he pressed his body forwards kissing the lines of stress away from Donghos face, while his hand rode up, knuckles poking the tummy of the short male.

Dongho started to jolt, his throat was making noise, but Minhyun managed to mute it all by folding his lips rough over Donghos, they still tried so hard to move away and form a yell.

Suddenly Dongho’s muscles had gone all limp, wobbly like jelly in the arms of Minhyun, as all of his atoms had rushed to sleep at once. Even his eyes had shut because the bastard was pretending to sleep, Minhyun could easily tell his bad acting anyways.

Minhyun rushed to see if he still had paper tissues in the pocket of his coat, accidentally pouring out the pack of cigarettes he hoarded without noticing. 

While the tallest was taking care of Dongho, or the wet and hot panting mess he had become, that same boy had quickly swept the pack off the seat and onto the floor of the car, remembering to press it under his heel later.

 

When driving far home that same night, Dongho had gone quiet again. He angrily tapped his wheel thinking about something and not saying a thing for a long minute. Minhyun returned the treatment, somewhat disappointed in his friend being like this right after they had been intimate.

However, Dongho wasn’t actually ignoring him, he was just thinking really hard about it all. The boy spoke, “Tell me, should we just quit our job? I’ll find one that will cover for the both of us in no time.”

Minhyun laughed at the idea, “And have you work from dawn to dawn, why would I want that?” He continued, “I’d be missing you.”

Dongho decided to agree with Minhyun on this one, if he wasn’t home a lot then the tall male would maybe go back to his old ways and do wicked things to himself when there wasn’t anyone to watch him. If the overprotective Dongho wanted to keep him safe, he had to be there for him day and night.

Living on someone else’s neck wasn’t in Minhyuns fashion, that’s why he had moved so far out to flee from his parents house and gotten that boring, tedious office job, that at least paid the bills for his shitty downtown apartment.

Dongho was also thinking about giving up his own place, just move in with Minhyun and save as much money as they can together.

After such a thought, the guy started speaking soon, his new idea ignited energy in him, “Then lets just move away, to some place quiet.” He looked to Minhyun who stared at him waiting to be told it was just a joke. “I am serious.” Dongho insisted.

“My family lives in this nice coastal town on an island.” He looked out on the road, turning his head from right to left looking for any cars that could cut him off on the road at the intersection, “I’d surely would be far from here.” Minhyun could read him as fully committed to the project.

But then again, Minhyun didn’t know what to feel. In a heartbeat he would agree to follow the other male to any side of the world, abandon his old life here and just run off with him like they both were playing roles of fleeing lovers in an exciting romantic novel. But this was reality.

Dongho would never make these drastic life changing choices if it wasn’t for Minhyun, and that guy wasn’t the best person that the man should be with.

“I have all my friends back there, my family. I miss them everyday that I am here. I think if you met them they’d like you too.” He spoke.

“Do you hate it here?” Minhyun asked an odd question. Dongho chuckled to himself, looking out to the endless traffic awaiting them in the distance out on the highway, the tall buildings dotted with light in their windows squeezed the roads from all sides.

“It is the saddest city that I’ve ever been in, I think you feel that way too.” He turned to his friend, who’s expression matched his own.

Minhyun turned away to stare down at his hands clasped together in his lap, highway lights drawing warm lines over his frozen fingers from outside.

“Yeah, a lot of bad memories here.” He hid his chin inside of his own scarf my nudging his face further down, “I’ll think about it.” He lied, hoping Dongho would just realize it was stupid and back down first.

 

Minhyun sat at the stove stirring a spoon around a sizzling pan, preparing something nice for Donghos sensitive stomach. He had to speed knowing that jerk could come out of the bathroom at any minute now, attracted by the food smell, demanding to be spoon fed.

Hwang rarely ever tried when he had to prepare a meal for himself, if he ever craved anything fancy he’d just go out and use his sly tricks one of his older unmarried female co-workers to buy it for him or see a date with an older wealthier man.

It seemed like those days were over now, not that he particularly would miss them, but he supposed that Dongho would certainly feel threatened seeing strangers like that lead Minhyun back home to him.

The two were dating, but not really. Minhyun just couldn’t tell yet, since he was still unsure how exactly Dongho felt about him. Were they in love, or did Dongho just simply feel responsible for him, loving him out of obligation, Minhyun hated to think about it for too long.

Deep in thought, he barely noticed his friend sneaking up to hug him from behind. Dongho didn’t say a thing, just wrapped his arms in a lock around his stomach, hardly reaching up to the tall mans shoulder to rest his chin on it while standing his tippy toes.

“What is this about?” Minhyun asked. “What do you mean?” Dongho acted clueless and innocent of any guilt.

Minhyun tilted his cheek suspecting his friend, “You smell nice today, you must be planning something.”

Dongho shot his chin up from Minhyuns shoulder, making an offended face, “Are you implying I don’t smell nice on the regular?”

Minhyun shut off the gas stove and turned around to hold his friend by his waist, lowering his forehead to meet with Donghos below. Then after a brief intermission, he began to whisper in a deep husky voice to the other, “Must be a reason why you smell so nice. You didn’t go back to your own house earlier just to take a shower right?”

Dongho feared that his friend might of have had already figured him out this soon, and his fears were true. With an evil smirk ahead of him, he was being walked backwards straight to the door of their bedroom. His pupils began to shrink in size once his back hit the doorframe.

“Or am I just mistaken? Tell me how it is.” Minhyun was doing this to tease him, get out information while clearly already planning on pushing Dongho down and make out with him anyway, characteristically turned on by the smell of soap.

After a wave of silence, Minhyun took a scary step back making Dongho panic that he would just go back to the stove and all of his set up would be in vein. Of course the bastard knew, he was playing with him.

“Hang on, wait.” Dongho clung back onto Minhyun, glancing into the bedroom without saying it out loud. 

The tallest got the full memo, and lead him in. Donghos heel tripped meeting the leg of the bed and he was forced to sit. Minhyun then sat in front of him, balancing onhis knee set right in-between the gap of Donghos thighs. The short male didn’t protest to a sudden kiss to his neck, his ears focused on the sounds of Minhyuns lips sucking at his flowery scented skin.

Minhyuns lips raised to that ear with a hiss, his arm placed on the mans chest like a claw, “This right? You wanted this, was I right?” He smirked into Donghos earlobe. Dongho began to nervously blush and chuckle, his friend had indeed guessed right. 

He had already mentioned it before, but he wanted to try doing more with him than kissing and giving one another the occasional head. But he had no idea how to bring it up, he thought he was already confident and it would be such an easy thing to suggest, but once he saw Minhyun face to face, he shot his imaginary tail of his in-between his legs like a scared animal and backed.

Dongho nodded to the question, scooting himself further in backwards in bed. Minhyun followed him forgetting all about the food he had been making, settling his appetite for the man in his bed instead.

Minhyun watched in awe as the other suddenly and very eagerly switched out of his clothes down to a null, while he was stuck trying to decide if he should hurry and dress down too or rather turn the heater on first.

“Are we going to—?” Minhyun was slightly confused, before realizing that when Dongho had lured him into the bedroom this way, he obviously did not mean for them to just end up cuddling. “Yeah, is that okay?” Dongho confirmed, Minhyun agreed.

As Dongho waited for his friend to flee from his shirt, his anxiety was sky high. Minhyun noticed him and hugged him to calm him, because judging by that big doll eyed look on his face, the poor guy had no clue what he was meant to do past here.

Going with the flow wasn’t much of an optio, considering Dongho really had no experience in any of this. Minhyun still tried to regardless, pulling the blankets close in-between their bodies to stay warm as they kiss.

Minhyuns long arms slowly lowered his friend in bed while their mouths were still glued together, it was awkward for the tall man trying to twist himself under the other. Dongho found himself on top, his knees hopped ahead higher on Minhyun.

The tallest parted, letting his hands slide to hold Dongho by the back of his neck and give him the eyes of a question, would this be okay to continue, “You feel alright?” Minhyun made sure prior.

“I am fine.” Dongho breathed out, his breath still shaky from stress. Minhyun laughed with his chest, it sounded a lot like a cough while he was laying down.

Dongho looked behind and over his body, Minhyuns legs had already hooked themselves around his hips, and that’s when the shortest suddenly realized the assumed position rushing to draw back and fix a thing first.

“Hey, wait up.” He spoke out of nowhere, Minhyun thought that the guy was backing out already, but then he said something surprising.

“Can I try it? This but in reverse?” The man proposed. “Huh, you?” Minhyun blinked his eyes open and closed, realizing Dongho was asking to receive.

The tallest sat himself up and looked around at the poor naked bastard to see what he had to say for himself now, “I’ve never done it before you know, so I thought might as well try it out once and get it over with.” He explained.

“To see if you like it?” Minhyun pondered, trying not to look too overly excited about it. “Yeah, I don’t imagine myself liking it, but I just wanna see first.”

Minhyun predicted he would end up saying something along those lines, since this very same guy had once claimed himself to be straight beyond repair. The tallest kept forgetting to ask him if he still felt that way, but the answer was already silly obvious by now already.

“I—” Dongho stuttered, his hand went to itch something behind his blushing red ear, “I studied this stuff for a whole day, or days right before this.” He mentioned to make sure he did not look like a total clueless loser. Minhyun grimaced at the thought of it, he hoped that by studying the guy did not just mean it as an excuse to laze around and look at porn all day.

“I’ll help you experiment then.” Minhyun began to rise in bed pushing the larger body off from himself. “Come here.” He switched the positions, putting a winter blanket over himself as a cape. 

The shortest was quickly put into the perhaps most uncomfortable position he had ever been in, laying on his back with his knees bent and yanked far apart in front of his best friend who had the filthiest look on his lip.

“You are staring.” Dongho protectively hid his lips behind his shaky fingers. Minhyun snickered, “You expect me not to look at all?”

The short male didn’t know what to say in order to object to his dirty stares, he wanted this, but at the same time he felt so exposed before his best friend that he had no idea what to do with himself while it was happening.

Of course, Minhyun found all of this cute. The little squirms and jolts that Donghos body did when Minhyun moved his legs, his silent puppy whimpers that feared fast movement, the tall male couldn’t hide a weird smile.

The tallest explored the other mans body further, his eyes scrolled high while chin dipped down, like he was shamelessly trying to peer inside of him. Dongho yelped for him to not to be so blatant, “Min—hyun, wait.”

Minhyun laughed, ignoring his friend attempting to initiate eye contact to distract him from looking, “Did you try to prepare at home? You are already wet here.” The bastard sounded so thrilled.

“Uhh.” Dongho was so red in the cheeks he could blow up, his hand spread across his own face, ashamed eyes squinting through the gaps in his fingers. Minhyun could read the truth just by his reaction, laughing once more.

“You are seriously the cutest.” Minhyun soothing voice calmed him, while one of his other hand disappeared out of Donghos sight making him nervous all over again.

He flinched feeling those hands tickle and tap across his skin, a lone finger gliding down in a straight line. The guy grimaced feeling it press near the tight opening to his body.

“Feel anything?” The tall male interrupted himself, he bought his free hand back up to the top of Donghos stomach, moving in slow smoothing circles. The boy shook his head for now.

Minhyuns knees moving made the mattress squeak, he raised from his bed to get something from one of the drawers nearby before proceeding. It all started to kick in for Dongho right then. This was actually happening, it was finally happening.

He had squeezed his eyes shut in painful anticipation for something to happen, instead he heard the sound of a plastic lid popping open and then a squelch or slap of something into one of Minhyuns hands.

He gasped when he could feel his friends hand reach him again, this time it was coated in something wet, cold and sticky. Dongho opened his eyes to see the other man pacing his lube soaked fingers back and forth over his ass. His scared muscles instantly clenched in protest, but Minhyun was patient, pressing his thumb in slow careful circles over that ring of muscle, until he was sure enough to go ahead and insert one long thick digit past it.

Dongho sucked in a breath through his teeth trying to force his nerves to relax, but it was difficult to get used to the feeling. There was a small prick of a pain, and the pain had probably been the one thing he had been afraid of the most, while trying this out by himself without telling Minhyun before. He didn’t want to embarrass himself by going in blind, perhaps end up bawling into his fists if it actually did hurt.

The tallest gave Dongho a small window of time to get used to it, the boys face was expressive, Minhyun could read for when to stop and when to go just by looking at his face, although making vocal confirmations was something he did prior to every movement regardless, “How are you feeling now?”

“I don’t know,” Dongho shrugged unsure, “Just keep—moving.” He begged for Minhyun to hurry. More than happy to Minhyun began to steadily ease his finger in and out, eyes glued to the tight, wet blushing skin stretching open around the thick of his finger. 

Dongho bit his lip trying to ignore a more obvious sting, but he had not yet said a thing about wanting to stop, Minhyun took it as a good sign at least.

“Relax, It’s no good if you are so tensed up.” Minhyun pat Donghos knee with his spare hand, yet no matter what the man really couldn’t take his mind off the changes in his body. Most certainly this was a pretty big deal for the both of them after all.

“How about you tell me a story, about anything at all.” Dongho felt immature for asking, but he couldn’t come up with anything else to distract himself. Minhyun didn’t think it was that immature at all.

The tallest began pondering about what to talk about before speaking up after a stretched pause, “Some time ago, in a small town down south there lived four young boys, and they were such close friends.”

Dongho instantly noticed that something was off about this story, it was uncomfortably familiar so far, but he decided to listen and make sure of it.

“They went to the same music school together, and they had this silly dream of creating a music band together.” Minhyun smiled as he spoke.

He continued, “The eldest, who played mainly the drums, had the most ridiculous sense of humor, but he was still really funny.”

“There was a guy that only played the keyboard piano, he was this big and always positive goofball that all of them always picked on.” Minhyun still smiled. Despite him speaking all somber his words were loving and warm.

He shut his eyes, “We had another guy, he played like six instruments and could never settle for one thing. A total perfectionist even if he didn’t look like one. He also had a boyfriend.”

The more Minhyun said, the more eerily familiar this sounded to the mans own life story, yet Dongho didn’t interrupt.

“He was dating the last guy, who was not really good at anything at all, but his friends kept telling him he was good at singing, so he became the main vocalist.” Minhyun sounded less interested speaking about this person, Donghos eyes shot at him realizing that the man was describing himself.

“The groups name was something silly they had come up with last minute. I actually don’t seem to remember how it went anymore.” He apologized.

After a longer moment Minhyun reopened his eyes ready to finish the story, “One day just the three of them, all except for the vocalist, had gone to the school staying there late to practice the instruments where nobody could hear them later near night.”

Dongho looked at his friend with a worried face, he no longer liked this story. “That night, there was an accident at school, and ever since then nobody was there to play music in that classroom anymore.” Minhyun went silent.

The story had concluded, but the shortest noticed that something had been left out, a part that seemed very important to him, “What happened to the vocalist afterwards?” Dongho asked, pretending he didn’t already know the current fate of that student.

The tallest was a bit taken back by that question, he never thought that character ever played an important part in the story. He was simply just someone in the background, not even part of the tragedy.

Minhyun failed to respond and returned to silence. His wrist steadily rocking back and forth, by now the shortest man could not feel much resistance to it at all, he had gotten used to it, even more so his body was starting to make rather embarrassing responses.

His groin growing heat was not something he could hide from Minhyun sitting in-between his heels, and trying to cover it with hand would only draw more attention. The tallest smirked at shy Dongho, he had already noticed it way before while he was in the middle of his story. It was true that things like these were really hard to control sometimes, but Donghos want had really arrived at the most morbid moment of all.

As Minhyun continued to train him, the was lube making a light, but unsettling squelching noise in-between the mans digit and the opening. Soon he decided two double the count, pulling his single finger out to the very tip of his finger to add a second beside it.

The target male body breathed louder, trying to find a better position to relax, despite the two bony digits squirming beside one another inside of him looking to make space. Minhyun was in awe at the boys body swallowing up his fingers so quickly. 

“You are really amazing, Kang.” He commanded his friend, taking the guys dick in his palm to fondle with it.

Dongho liked sweet praise more than anything, but it was odd to hear his last name be called out while he was in a position like this, it made it sound all formal for some reason, like they were at work. He didn’t want to think about work right now.

The guy tried to take bad thoughts off his mind, and instead just focus on how good this felt right now with Minhyun. But his now peaceful face must of attracted the evil side of Hwang somehow, Minhyun surely always had to interrupt his good moments.

“Do you still feel a thing for your crush?” Minhyun had to casually began asking such an intrusive questions at such a bad time.

“Perhaps.” The boy replied in the same teasing tone as a way to snarl back.

“Eh, really?” The tallest made that dirty two faced smile he always made to the people at his job that he didn’t like.

“What about now?” Minhyun had playfully arched his fingers up against a certain sweet spot, setting off a chain of emotions for the other.

It felt weird there, but weird in a good way, meaning that he somehow couldn’t hold back a low moan. The shortest pressed his spine further down deep into the mattress while his hips bounced up to force Minhyuns hand to hold it there. And even his dick drooled down to his stomach in slow drips.

He cursed, realizing what that jerk had purposely done to him and his body, “You bastard.” Dongho squint his eyes in rage. “Hehe.” The other didn’t find it offensive one bit.

“Can you take one more?” Minhyun couldn’t decide if adding the third would be too much, Dongho couldn’t tell any better either, even though the body was his, “I don’t know.”

“Be clear.” Minhyun spoke in a strict and scary voice he rarely ever bought out and if he did, it was only at times for when he had to scold Dongho. 

The shortest should’ve learned by now to fear hearing it, but that controlling tone in his voice made the warmth already burning in Donghos stomach flush straight down to in-between his legs. Minhyuns fingers were suddenly crushed together by a tight squeeze, the man smiled deviously figuring out what had happened to his cute little friend.

“So what is it gonna be?” Minhyun continued to speak in that same low, threatening voice and he was going to continue doing so just to rile Dongho up even more. The shortest was red all the way to his ears now after being caught.

“No more, just—” Dongho was having a harder time to breathe, “Lets go all the way?”

Although it pained the tallest to say it, he had to disagree, “I’d do it, but—I’ve just realized I’d have to make a run to the pharmacy first, I’ve run out of condoms.”

The boy clenched his shoulders trying to sit up while forgetting Minhyun was still inside, it made him go “Ow.” Before saying what he wanted to say, “I thought you had a lot as spare, I mean—”

“Sure.” Minhyun wasn’t going to deny the accusation of him being that mischievous, but ever since Dongho showed up that had changed, “I didn’t think you’d ever lie down with me, let alone this soon. There was no point of getting them unless I kept someone on the side, and I wouldn’t do that to you.”

Dongho understood, but he still had became more frustrated than ever for being held off at this point, he couldn’t last without Minhyuns touch now, it would be torture. “I don’t care if you don’t have it now, I trust you.”

Minhyun paused, “Are you sure?” He had not expected for them to take it further from here today, let alone have Dongho be the one to suggest it. But to be quite frank, Dongho wasn’t suggesting it now, he was actively begging.

Donghos face was in at least three different shades of red by now, he didn’t even hide himself behind his hands now, “I want it. Minhyun, I want you.” The tallest man felt like he was in a dream, some kind of an alternate reality where everything was nicer and sweeter, becausw how could this be real.

Without even waiting for Minhyun to refresh, Dongho began to rotate in bed, his large elbows clumsily pulling and tugging the sheets along with him. He was on his knees now, waiting for his friend to come from the back, while holding onto a beam of pillows to hold himself up right in a position he had seen in a film somehow related to his previously mentioned research.

But his knees quivered, it was hard to stand out in the wind just waiting for Minhyun to make a move. The tallest seemed dumbfounded, scrambling to get himself together and not just endlessly stare at his friends perfectly peach shaped, cuddly behind.

“Can I?” Minhyun acted like some kind of a gentleman, and Dongho was starting to get sissy because the jerk still had not put it in. 

“I dare you.” He coughed, ignoring the snicker that came right after.

Minhyun carefully pressed the head of his dick to the stretched opening and began to push inwards. The guys ass was all wet and sloppy now, so it made the job a whole lot easier, Dongho didn’t say much at all at first, instead his hands clung tighter around any lump in the pillows and the blankets he could reach.

The next push however made him entirely clamp down around Minhyun, his bright glistening skin was stressed to the widest it had ever been and Minhyuns frail bony fingers had felt nothing like this. 

He began to whimper holding his tattooed hands buried into the sheets. But the burn felt so good it had made the heat in his stomach built up even more. Minhyun had ruined him for life, from now on he would only be wishing to do just this.

Minhyun drew himself back, but just as quick Dongho sent his hips after himself, splitting himself open under the weight of the other thrust. The tallest stopped Donghos body from moving by holding him down by the hips like an angry bull. The guy whined and struggled trying to hump his hips back into that same angle.

He insisted to give the boy time to adjust, get used to the change in size before getting way too ahead of themselves. That is why Minhyun had to wise up to pause for a minute, even though they both wanted this just the same.

The pressure building up inside of the other mans stomach ached, it made the guy feel full and it kept getting greater and greater over time. His stomach began to feel painful knots grow, his muscles began to throb in wait.

“C-can you move a bit?” He cried out to his friend, who was not yet aware of how tight and heavy his dick had been made, despite it, right now all he needed to do was for Minhyun to move, it was all he could focus on.

“Huh? Oh right.” Minhyun had gotten too carried away in the moment of Dongho showing his rosy, shy cheeks by looking back to say that.

Minhyun went and slid himself out of Donghos grip painfully slow, before snapping his hips right back forward, dick sinking into the tight heat of his friend and causing him to yelp out a loud cry. 

He slowed a few more times after that, basically whenever Dongho made a sound or squeak to show signs of discomfort. The shortest appreciated the care, but he quickly had learned to hate his own weird noises that were making Minhyun interrupt whenever it felt both good and bad.

It changed gradually, Dongho controlled his voice to make it all sound like just pleasure and the other began being careless, slamming into the man and then shoving himself out to then repeat the same over and over. All while Donghos loud shameless voice of relief kept him sweet company.

Dongho could hear his skin slapping from the other end, wet flesh smacked against Minhyuns thrusts enough times to make him begin to feel whipped sore already. It was embarrassing, he wanted to cover his ears, but if he let go of the pillows he would fly face into the headrest.

The movements were erratic by now and almost brute, done without any thought or reason, yet somehow they made sense. Minhyun angled himself forward and Dongho only continued to back himself into the thrusts.

Minhyuns hand let go of holding Dongho by the hip and slid down to his sweaty stomach, and then to his painfully hard dick that drew a string of semi-clear liquid to the sheets, gripping and stroking him raw.

The shortest widened his eyes and his chin arched up by itself after the muscles in his body began to jolt and pull. He started to stand on his hands not elbows, raising himself up even further to somewhat feel more of Minhyun, his best friend. The boy was arching back his head as well, and that had been too tempting for Minhyun not to grab it.

Victim to being pulled by his hair, the shortest reached his arm to hold back onto Minhyuns leg, anything in reach to make himself pull into the direction Minhyun was taking him. The tallest helped him back until he was standing up straight hugged to Minhyun while being fucked up right.

“Hwang,” Dongho complained, “My spine.”

“You worried about your spine?” Minhyun spoke in a mocking manner, glancing down at the guys ass scraped pink. His breath had tickled Donghos earlobe with yet another insult.

The moment Dongho had been lowered back down, Minhyun attacked him with the most vicious thrust, making the boys whole body pop forwards. Because of it, the shortest felt a flash of heat go down from his spine to his pained stomach, the sudden jolt of movement had pushed him further, at any second now he could blow up.

Minhyun purposely kept racing him closer to the finish line, smug about being responsible bringing the handsome male to the climax, let alone be the first man to ever lay a hand on him.

The hand Hwang had on the guys dick became slow and useless, he just held it with no movement knowing his friend would whine and cry. So after a small pause he started stoking again, squeezing down just tight enough so it wouldn’t bother him. Dongho was so glad even his moaning voice became sweeter.

“Dongho, do you think this feels good right now?” Minhyun teased. 

“S-shut up.” Dongho used whatever was still left of his messed up voice to bark out an insult. His cheeks drawing streaks of red across.

The springs of the mattress swayed back and forth in tidal waves matching Minhyuns thrusts. Donghos knees barely hanged on, burned by the sheet fabric rubbing against his skin on the outside, while his joints and muscles had been actively turning into soft mush from holding the weight on the inside.

Dongho whimpered once, then twice, and instead of a third cry came a yell. He couldn’t cover his mouth to hide an ugly broken voice that came with his climax and he hid his face into the tower of pillows a second too late, after Minhyuns arm let him finally fall to the sheets.

Minhyun had stroked him to the last drop not thinking about the bed at the time of doing so, all while the boy cried out his name in that raspy tortured voice the tallest swore to remember forever.

Dongho had blanked out, not realizing his friend had continued to thrust in him erratically like he was desperate to catch up. The shortest whined, holding onto his stomach that felt all weird now, his ass squeezing right back down around his partners twitching dick.

An exhausted panting voice suddenly told something very scary, “D-dongho, can I finish in you?”

The shortest would’ve probably fled his ass forwards to safety under normal circumstances, but his brain was so fried he decided, “Okay.”

Minhyun stopped moving to groan, with his final thrust he released his token of love inside of the other body. He couldn’t remember the last time he had ever come this hard, this much.

Dongho man felt a sense of calm wash him away when everything had stopped, Minhyun met the same feeling and in that warm position the two remained until their heartbeat would settle. They stayed being physically joined, bodies glued together by their sweat, layer of shiny wet oiled their skin. 

Dongho had it worse, his whole long back was a pool. It collected into the cracks and folds of his body, making every place Minhyun glazed over with his fingers all slippery and gross, but he actually liked it that way.

Their breaths were quiet and ragged, odd muscles still twitching and jolting on their own as if the last of electricity was going through and out. 

After some time, Minhyun began to ease himself out slowly, getting caught up in watching the teased skin stretch and drag along with his dick moving outward, trying to hold him back. The guys sore hole blinked closed after the loss of weight, sealing behind Minhyuns release stuck inside.

Dongho could feel it in him slush, he whined, reaching his shaky hand behind him to dip two fingers into himself in effort to try to spread himself wide enough for everything to flow out, creating a filthy display of himself.

Minhyun was mesmerized by such a sight, and although he didn’t want to disturb it, he remembered about the sheets of the bed he hated drying out more than anything. “Fuck, we made a mess.” He cursed.

The other gently lowered his aching hips down into the bedsheet, “Ha, sorry.” Dongho sounded like a child apologizing, Minhyun snickered at how high pitched his voice had become now. 

Then Dongho carefully rotated in bed again, pushing himself up by the back of his elbows, his skin jittery to Minhyuns gentle dabs of the towel, trying to wipe him clean.

There was a weird moment where their looks met and both of them were silent, eyes as big as gems reflecting back at one another. Dongho decided to smile first, his was apologetic, while Minhyuns was jokingly mocking.

Minhyun dragged himself and the edge of his blanket back up to headrest to curl up with the other man under the same sheet. They both quickly became sleepy and hot inside of each others hold, arms tied around one another refusing to let go until the morning comes.

Minhyun wondered if this was the gross proof that the guy now loved him, maybe even almost as much as he loved him, even if Hwang was someone that shouldn’t be loved. Minhyun always thought that Dongho was a smart man, but now that the man had decided to stay with him, maybe Minhyun had been wrong after all.

 

Someone Minhyun knew at work was having birthday this week, this meant another big gathering of people from work at some place where the music was loud and the drinks would constantly spill on the table.

The laughing and the cheers were non stop, almost louder than the music itself. The party guy Minhyun appeared in the doorway waving his wrist at his friends coworkers, and everyone smiled his way happy to see him here to jolt up the mood even more, until they saw the person right on his tail.

Dongho stayed close to Minhyun, his eyes immediately darted around the room in stress as soon as the stares began. The table fell into silence, he could hear someone cough, and another person secretly whisper.

“Why is he here? Why did Minhyun have to bring that guy here?” A voice full of spite tickled the shell of Donghos ear from afar. The shortest tugged onto the long wool jacket of his friend, who turned to him.

“Minhyun, they don’t like me here.” He wanted to back out already, but the tallest calmed him with a pretty smile, dragging him to sit at the long table with himself and the others.

Nayoung sat the furthest at the other end, of course she was here. Her and Minhyun were both party animals, they were essentially the male and female versions of each other that everyone wanted to see in their parties. 

As soon as the woman noticed him, her eyes had popped in surprise and the next second she had looked away, Dongho just kept emptily staring at her for long.

Minhyun noticed him stare and squeezed his hand under the table to make him realize it, Dongho was uncomfortable here, he knew that all of these people he had previously called his friends had been talking shit behind his back.

The vibe in the room had really dropped dead now, the laughs had ceased and everyone just focused of the big elephant in the room that was Donghos relationship with Nayoung. Everyone cared so much and it was annoying them both.

The woman couldn’t handle the stress either, and downed the biggest glug from her glass that would surely knock her out in a minute. But she rather have that, than to endure the stares of her colleagues. Others followed the example, although keeping a sly look on Dongho. Soon the chatting started back up again, after everyone had loosened up by drinking some more.

Dongho wasn’t going to drink today, and neither was Minhyun, the guy was trying to stay clean for the sake of his friend who would probably suffer another nervous breakdown if his best friend ever did silly stuff again.

Midway through the gathering, suddenly the lights broke down and the now dark room erupted in horrified drunken screams. Dongho stayed static in the dark, becoming aware of what was happening only when the whole table began to sing a happy birthday tune. A figure with a cake appeared in the far back, candles on their cake being only low light there was.

Minhyun turned to Dongho in the dark, his grin reflecting the light of those candles far off. No one could see them exchange smiles in the dark, giving Hwang a clever idea, but before the tallest could lean in to sneak a kiss the lights went live again.

Luckily, nobody had noticed them, while being too busy with their happy chant and clapping of hands. Dongho clumsily tried to follow it, but his hands moved slow and out of sync.

“Lets all go around the table and say something!” Someone suggested, and one by one everyone spoke their birthday wishes to the main person of the party.

Dongho thought he could buy of it somehow, he was sitting at the very end of the table meaning he had enough time to either come up with something short or hope for someone to stall enough time, so they’d cut it short before its his turn.

Meanwhile, a drunken man sitting across from him had watched his face the whole time, his eyebrows wiggling across his drooping angry forehead. The man interrupted someone’s speech to cut across everyone in line.

“I wonder what that guy has to say.” He mocked Dongho. 

“Hey now, be nice.” Minhyun was the first one to scold that guy, knowing nobody else here, but him would ever vouch for Kang.

“What? You are with him?” He laughed as if he didn’t know Dongho still had any friends, “I just don’t like the look of that guy over there.” The drunken man mumbled, and someone in the back agreed, “The bastard didn’t even bring a present, who does he think he is?”

The whole table was frightened when someone else had finally had it, their clenched fist hammering down on the table. It was Nayoung and she looked upset.

“That is enough. This is someone’s birthday party, we should be giving out our best wishes and not arguing over something stupid like this.” 

She vent, “I feel at fault, like I shouldn’t have come here If I knew my presence here would be ruining the party.”

“Its not your fault!” Someone called out trying to calm the situation, “It’s all because of that guy—”

“So what if he is here, eh?” Nayoung cut the speaker off with a whine, by now it was clear to everyone that she was already heavily intoxicated from binge drinking in fear someone’s birthday will be ruined all because of her.

“Shouldn’t you guys be focusing on our friend here, not my relationship with that guy?” Her face turned to stone, but words remained sharp.

She reviewed the faces of everyone, but they still looked down on Dongho for dumping her and then still being brave by showing up here, and it pissed her off.

“Come on, you know it was not like that. So what if he dumped me?” Nayoung spoke honestly, “That stuff just tends to happen, not everything can always work out perfectly.”

The crowd hesitantly nodded to her words. She raised her eyes at the boy far ahead, looking like a scared deer in the headlights, “Dongho, right now in front of everyone, so that they all know. Let’s put it behind us.”

Dongho froze, “Actually, I—” He surprised everyone with his voice, “I came to say goodbye.”

“Huh?” Everyone sounded surprised to hear news like this all of a sudden, it hit Nayoung the most.

“After next week, I will stop working here. I plan to move back to my home town sometime soon.” Everyone looked taken back by it, some raised their eyebrows.

“Is that why he—?” A voice wanted to know if that was the reason for abandoning his girlfriend.

Minhyun cut in, his voice loud, “Yes, it was decided some time ago. Dongho just didn’t know how to bring it up because it was all so sudden.”

The short boy knew that was not true at all, his eyes shot to Minhyun in judgement for speaking in his place. 

The tall boy just grinned proud, believing he was making things right by sugarcoating Donghos motives, in order to make his old friends soften up a bit. Not like it mattered too much, soon Dongho would not see them anyways.

Nayoung began to speak, “Why couldn’t you just have told me?” She had fallen for the lie as well, in her head it made sense, why Dongho had been so shaken days prior to their break up.

“I am sorry.” He lowered his head pretending. 

But others did so too when feeling guilty, and feeling bad for ever blaming him without knowing the alleged full story. They assumed the man had personal reasons for returning home, and it was nobodies place to ask, so they left it at that.

Someone else at the table caved in due to the mood that the party was at right now and began another birthday chant. It worked, everyone soon joined and the awkward intermission was forgotten.

As the night went on, people began to grow more rowdy when drunk. Someone jumped on the chair and began to dance, spilling beer everywhere on the seats, while someone else had began to smooch every guest there. In fact, the romance was blooming everywhere around, as people had become both drunk and flirty.

Minhyun started pretending he was drunk too just to not feel left out of that atmosphere. His acting was really something else, he looked to be exactly just like a drunk person. Dongho was starting to feel a little nervous when his friend spilled giggles to other guests instead of him, missing being in the center of his friends attention for even a second.

Of course Minhyun had not forgotten, he looked at the table to find an empty glass, proceeding to pretend one-shot it as if it was full, nobody had noticed it wasn’t. Then, as a part of his act, the tall man threw himself in the lap of Dongho, his hands hooked behind his neck while immediately attacking with a kiss.

Donghos eyes went wide and arms raised to stop him from doing this in front of so many people, but instead his muscles started to soft when Minhyuns tongue entered his mouth to kiss him dry. 

Everyone must of thought the two of them were shit faced drunk anyway, so they both figured no one would actually care. The others around them did in fact see it, and began to laugh and cheer for the two drunks violently making out in the seat, finding it hilarious. 

No one had a clue they were doing it for real, it made them braver now than ever. Minhyun purposely rode his butt backwards over Donghos groin, making sure to really press him down tight there. The shortest groaned into the kiss, parting his mouth wider for Minhyun to invade it more.

In the midst of it, the tallest had remembered something, maybe it was because he was living in a different state of self awareness, since he had began to bravely kiss Dongho in front of all his friends from work, or maybe it was just purely out of spite, he looked back to where had Nayoung sat.

The man glared into the direction with the most devilish stare, accompanied with one of his sly grins. His eyes pointed to the two mostly emptied glasses of fruit juice sitting side by side, straws intertwined, that two men had been drinking up to now. Signifying that Dongho was accepting the kiss sober. He gave her the look as if he had won him over, and perhaps, if he was truly that lucky, then Dongho really was all his now.

 

“Gosh, I’m so drunk I think I am gonna puke!” Minhyun whined while wiggling his long limbs over Donghos hunched back, faking his hiccups over the shoulder right into the ear of the other.

The short boy could barely lift him to the car, opening its door and pouring him off into the back seat, “Drunk my ass.” He scolded.

Minhyun tried to reach out to Dongho, pull him in too, but the guy had no plans other than to just get home quicker, “Aw, come cuddle with me in the back.” The other pretended to pout.

Dongho would be more than happy to, and that’s why it was so hard to turn it down, “You can do that when we get home.” He said, slamming the door shut right into Hwangs smiling face, sitting at the front to drive off before anyone could realize their shitty ruse. 

The guy sped off from the place like he was in a rush to disappear, Minhyun figured that he was embarrassed of their little performance back there before the most suspicious of eyes, not like it mattered much now anyway since Dongho was leaving this city behind.

“Hey, why didn’t you tell them you were leaving as well?” Dongho glanced in the rear view mirror to check up on his totally sober friend, while the car was stopped by the red light.

Minhyun shrugged and after another second of thinking he made a small chuckle, “I am not a person someone would miss for too long.” 

Dongho surely rushed to disagree, the other already knew he would. This guy was too righteous for his own good. He had thrown his shoulder back trying to talk sense into his sulking friend, “Those guys adore you Hwang, you are the most popular employee amongst them all.”

Minhyun cleared his throat after smiling, his face started to grow a little less happy, “Do you think they would still like me if they knew me like you do?” Dongho didn’t have to think much and was straight forward, “Perhaps not, but—”

“I still like you.” He replied to himself.

The driver shot his eyes back straight set for the road, watching tiny glimmers sparkle and dance in all directions in front of the cars headlights, melting into mist before ever reaching the ground. 

The street lights ahead blinked before switching from red to green. In movement, wet streaks drew across the side windows, forming trails reminiscent of those left behind by falling stars. Later that night for the first time it had snowed.

 

A sudden jolt woke Dongho up from his nap, he raised his ear from the pillow to squint into the distance reading off digital clock sitting on Minhyuns bed stand, it was displaying a small number. The twitch that had woken him came from behind, Minhyun was spooning the boy in his sleep, bodies pressed tight.

Dongho could feel the boys hands locked around his chest, and played with his fingers, tugging and holding them while they made silent twitches of motion. He supposed Minhyun was having a dream, hopefully not a nightmare.

The arms squeezed tighter, almost as if they were responding to Donghos kind touches. By now the big guy had figured he was really in love, it had to be one. There were no other words he could use to describe it. It had become so strong that he would be willing to die for the guy if he had to.

But if he could travel back in time to tell his past self, sulking at that club where Minhyun had interacted him for the first time by taking a rude glance to his dick at the urinal, that in the near future the two would end up like this, the past Dongho would have just probably laughed at such horrifying idea.

If Minhyun was a woman Dongho would had proposed they just go all out and might as well get married by now, get a house or start a family maybe. Dongho had always wanted to start one early, he couldn’t imagine himself as a father right now, but he was sure he would still do a great job with kids, and Minhyun would too. But the man was thinking too far ahead, and not everything could be that sweet.

Hwang was way more complex than that, he was haunted by things that had happened to him in the past, things that had made him become a two faced person pretending to be happy instead of actually being happy. Dongho had no clue if he could reverse it, but if he could he would do anything it took, he wanted to make Minhyun forget.

Minhyun gasped awake like he had been held underwater without breath, hyperventilating and looking for the figure of the other man in the dark, “Dongho.” He panicked.

It was apparent he had a nightmare, so severe he had waken in the middle of the night from it. “I am here, I am here.” He calmed the guy the best he could.

Minhyun grabbed onto his forearms afraid to lose him in the dark. The scenes from his nightmare were replaying fresh in his mind, it was the same dream he always got, although it had been more rare these past weeks, it was horrible each time.

“I saw them.” He hugged his head pressed into the chest of his friend, his whole body shaking in fear.

He had witnessed the mental image of the positions that his friends were said to have been found in the next day after the fire. They were all huddled up together into a single corner, hoping to stay under the smoke long enough for someone to come get them any minute.

Dongho instantly knew what the dream had been about when he saw the bedroom door standing eerily open, like it had been unlocked by a ghost, parted in the perfect angle, so that the pictures on the living room wall could be seen staring into the direction of the bed.

Minhyuns body must have somehow sensed the pictures near his place of sleep that had bought him so much misery by being on a constant display. Dongho woke from bed to slam the door shut.

“W-where are you going? Don’t leave please.” Minhyun didn’t understand where Dongho had gone in the dark, calling after him. For a second he had thought he had lost Dongho in the black too. Although after shutting the door he soon returned, hugging the man even tighter, kissing apologies onto his cheeks for leaving him.

Dongho didn’t care if he would be cruel to the memory of Minhyuns best friends, but those pictures could no longer stay, for the guys own sake. Once they move to some place new, only things that made Minhyun happy would be allowed to go onto the walls.

 

The sound of keyboard clicking, faint distant discussions and someone’s printer chocking up the same file twenty times over populated the open office floor where Minhyun worked at. He most certainly won’t miss any of these annoyances once he was finally gone.

In a way, Donghos suggestion to move was a blessing, it was fresh and adventurous and even if it would end up shitty, it was still something else other than this dull every day cycle at least.

A sound of a rolling chair suddenly wheeling beside him made him become interrupted from sharpening his collection of neat and perfectly even pencils. Minhyun faced his most annoying nemesis in the office, peering at him with huge cat eyes over the backwards seat.

“Hey, Eunwoo.” His voice came out tired, but instead of being worried she made a giggle, to her it still looked like the guy was wrecked after that party.

“You still feeling ill?” She questioned. Minhyun raised his chin to look taller than her with a grin, “I wasn’t even that drunk.” He made a joke only he would understand.

“Psh.” She blew air from her nostrils, “You were the wildest person there!”

“Me?” He acted shocked, laughing to himself, “How about all those people dancing on the tables, or the dudes getting intimate with almost every breathing objects in the room?”

Eunwoo paused her thought to stare, hiding a secret grin underneath, “Yeah, but you were– Uhh, the one kissing the same person the whole night?”

Minhyun froze for a solid stone still second, before turning away to click his pen and flip a page to pretend he was back to being busy working, 

“Eh? It was only because I had been drinking.” He blinked fast to himself.

“Oh, so now you’re saying you were drunk, huh?” The intrusive employee tried to yank her chair closer to Minhyun, speaking into his ear to earn the attention.

Suddenly Minhyun saw her fall back instead, her eyes huge and frightened looking at something directly behind him. Minhyun assumed it must of be the head of the office, considering she instantly rushed right back to her own desk straight away in fear. 

Minhyun already expected to be called out for this horrendous work ethic in a second, before turning around only to find Dongho standing right behind him all shy and silent. The wheels of the previous intruder could be still be heard creaking from and into further distance.

The guy looked like scolded child, chin lowered, holding his pointer finger squeezed tight inside the palm of his other hand. Right now, he should be on a different floor working, not standing around here.

“Why are you here?” Minhyun whispered back to him, trying to avoid staring eyes of his colleagues. “I missed you.” Dongho answered, still staring at the ground like he was ashamed to admit it.

Minhyun darted his eyes from right to left to check if it was safe for him to grin, “You will get in trouble because of me.” He whisper-shouted at the other man.

“That’s fine.” Dongho replied in his loud, normal voice. This wicked siren had come here to lure Minhyun to the rocks again, distract him from his work with his irresistible puppy stares, and it was working.

Too many eyes were focused on them already, Minhyun decided it was the best for them to speak outside, as long as he had assumed Dongho actually had something important enough to tell him. However, once they were outside, he found out that was in fact not the case. Dongho smiled like a fool standing out on the corner of a hallway with Minhyun glaring down at him looking for a reason why he had been pulled away from his desk.

“You just missed me, huh?” Minhyun crossed his arms in instant suspicion, “Is that all?”

Dongho didn’t have much to say in his defense, “Yeah.” He just got the huge urge to see him in person, that’s all.

Minhyun bent his knees in to move his face closer to the face of the other man, “You actually wanted to see me that bad?”

All Dongho did was nod, his hand reaching out from being pressed his side to instead cling at the other mans fingers and hold, too shy to hug him outright while they were under the roof of their work place.

Reminded of how there was not long left till they both would ditch this place for once and for all, Minhyun decided to propose something adventurous, “Do you want to, find a quiet place for the two of us to hide?”

“Eh?” Dongho tilted his head in question, before had Minhyun already dragged him off somewhere.

The two walked to the reception desk to ask for a spare key to the main board room, the tall man claimed he had forgotten to retrieve some kind of a file locked inside. And with the key they walked to the big board meeting room they should normally be forbidden from.

A giant dark wood table stood in the middle of the room in a shape of an oval. The floor had rich carpeting that was not present in any other place in the office. Neither of the two men’s positions were high enough to ever sit at the table, however the lady working at the desk that had handed them that key had not even screened them first, falling for the trap of Minhyuns charming wink.

As soon as the tall devil locked the door behind himself, Dongho realized this was not quite the romantic getaway he had expected. Him and Hwang were in the giant room all by themselves and the guy had this weird smirk on his face.

Dongho smiled back, but only as a learned reflex to be polite. The other male began to laugh while approaching him, his hands instantly glued themselves to the boys hot cheeks as soon as he was in reach.

Donghos eyes became big and full of shine, his vision was filled with Minhyun and everything else blurred out, unimportant in the same existence as him. The other caught his stare, and without asking for permission landed a sneaky kiss on the middle of Donghos shut lips.

The shortest let him have his way, taking a step back to find that table behind him he could lean up against. His anxious fingers tapping across the flat surface behind him.

“What is it, you nervous?” Minhyun barely pulled away, his lips still brushed up against Donghos as he spoke.

“We shouldn’t be here.” Donghos voice was as quiet as breath. Even if the door was locked, he did not feel safe.

“So?” Minhyun chuckled before cheering him on some more, “Don’t you want to defile this place right before leaving a bit, for all the trouble?”

The short mans face changed into a frown and he nudged the guy back, “Defile? Wait, you can’t be serious?” Dongho suddenly realized what his friend was poking at, and was not amused one bit.

“You awful jerk.” Dongho voiced, after receiving a wide and proud smile as his answer of confirmation.

Of course Dongho had no idea to ever leave a mark in such a filthy way with Hwang, that punk definitely had some sick thrill for doing this at work. 

But Minhyun liked when Dongho was angry. He certainly looks like grumpy person on first glance, but in reality, when he actually becomes upset, he is nothing more than a barking lap dog trying to make his statements sound big with that cute face.

The boy thinned his lips, trying to say something of reason despite feeling like in the end he was going to give in either way anyway, Minhyun somehow managed to convince him each and every time, 

Dongho feared, “But other people work here, we cannot—!”

“Since when do you care about what others will think,” Minhyun grinned, pulling his venomous lips to Donghos ear, “I mean you mewled like a kitten when I was moving in your lap in front of all of your friends before.”

The shortest tightened his fingers faking his rage, “That’s not true.” He said through gritted teeth, trying to endure the nice feeling of Minhyuns open lips flood on his skin.

The man had instantly changed his stance as soon as he noted how good Minhyuns soft touches felt on him, he missed having this since early morning when the two would wake up in each others grasp.

He spoke with uncertainty, “I guess its okay, as long as nobody catches us?” Minhyun sneered and agreed.

Within the next minute, Dongho had all of his dignity exit him through his toes from the moment had Minhyun lifted him sit on to of the table, immediately running undo his fly.

The big headed man kept blocking his way of looking down to see where his pants were going, warm kisses attacked his mouth pushing him back. The only instance Dongho actually got to see what was exactly going on was by the time Minhyun was snapping his own belt loose.

The shortest sat fully exposed, his large legs dangling lifted in the air around Minhyuns thin frame, his feet still awkwardly wearing shoes and high socks while his ass was shining bare. Donghos now naked skin made an awful squeak sliding across the table, when Minhyun pushed him to sit further into an even worse position.

Like a ray of lightning, came the realization that Minhyun was going to fuck him on top of that table. Well, there weren’t any other better places to do it around here, but was clearly way too adventurous for the timid Dongho, who was just being blindly lead by the evil succubus that was Hwang.

Meanwhile, Minhyun was already crumpling something open, shiny plastic flashed into Donghos vision for a split second before he made himself look away from being flustered by it. Hwang was doing it all too quickly, but perhaps for the better, as literally anyone could come from outside and unlock the door with a spare key at any minute.

Whenever Minhyun told him to move or hold on, Dongho did as he was told without much consideration, his level of obedience was painfully adorable to the other, but it was only because Dongho trusted his friend that much.

The shortest had been balancing only one hand behind himself, fingers sprawled out on the table, while he lifted his other hand to go inside of his own mouth, just like Minhyun had thought him.

“Woah—” The tall guy was taken aback seeing his friend begin to suck on his own fingers, for a second Kang had forgotten how embarrassing this probably was, until he saw the other guy smirk.

Dongho hated that grin, he let go of being stable to instead use his dry hand to cover all that staring, and to hide from Minhyuns scary, hungry eyes. The other male willingly accepted the darkness under Donghos palm, raising his own arms to hold the man in place himself.

After a while, Minhyun had stopped hearing wet licking sounds, and instead could pick up quiet, scared gasps. Behind the veil of the mans hand, he was in midst screwing himself open with his wet fingers as much as he could, letting out a whine when pulling them apart wide. But for some frustrating reason, the guy wouldn’t let his best friend see any of it and it was such a shame.

The man saw light, and then when his vision came in color, he saw an already very tortured and red Dongho breathing heavy ahead of him, both of his arms back behind himself as support.

“It’s good now, I think.” He uttered, focusing his eyes in the middle of Minhyuns stomach, not daring his ashamed self to look the guy in the face. While Minhyun could hardly decide where to look first, when all of him was so pretty right now.

“Don’t rush.” Minhyun wished, pulling himself closer to the desks edge to give warm kisses, and then ones that were meaner. 

Their chins were trying to press together despite the difference in height and when Minhyuns wide shoulders towered the other, Dongho could barely find focus. Minhyun was handsome, mesmerizing, absolutely breathtaking. 

While stuck in his little land of dreams, Dongho had not at all noticed one of the mans hands sneak away, frail fingers crawl across the skin to places on the other mans body only Minhyun knew well.

Donghos lips remained parted, tongue twitching inside of his drooling mouth, as if he was still mid kiss even after Minhyun had pulled away. The dazed guy looked downwards to where the other man had been staring for a bit now and saw two of Minhyuns digits already stuffed inside. That’s when he felt it, tensing up his own fist when sensing them run next to one another.

The shortest was starting to feel bad for whichever poor bastard would have to be seated here afterwards, with no clue that some prick had just slapped down his whole ass and taint on the table in the exact spot.

Minhyun rested his free hand on Donghos cheeks to make him look up, suddenly the guy was standing taller again. From his bird view angle, Donghos eyes glimmered in a pretty hazelnut color under the light, they were so big with pupils stretched wide. It felt almost unreal to Minhyun to be able to earn such a lovely look like that one out of the big guy.

“You ready, right?” The tallest flexed his knuckles outside from his friend, who winced and then nodded in response. “Let me know when to stop, yell if you have to.” Minhyun grinned, leaning his chin behind Donghos shoulder. 

“Yell? I can’t yell, someone could hear us— hhuck!” The shortest interrupted himself with a groan. Minhyun had really not been joking around, when he had snapped his hips forward for the first time.

Minhyun could only rasp out what had sounded like the first syllable of his best friends name, his eyes gone shut to focus on the soft drag of Donghos skin. The tall male was swelling hot, the more his friend could focus on it, the more he could feel the throb of blood in it.

Donghos own fingers grabbed forwards, biting into the edges of sleeve rolled to the other mans elbow. He winced and squeezed every and each muscle in his body protesting to Minhyuns rather rough entrance. The guy of course waited, staring down at Dongho from above until the already exhausted man looked up to approve more movement.

His face was made a mess already, stray hairs poking into his own eyes, corners of his mouth coated shiny and wet. And it became even more of a mess as soon as he was stretched wider.

Minhyun drove out a little to make more space for himself once he’d slid slick back in. Dongho responded the same way he did the first time, eyes squeezed shut, mouth hissing out clouds of steam instead of normal breaths.

It was a little too awkward for kisses in this position, Minhyun settled for Donghos earlobes instead, wetting the outer shell with his pointy sharp tongue. His hips jumped again and then they drained away. He started gradually picking up the pace of it, slowing down only when Donghos fingernails had clawed him too deep through the shirt.

Going against his own promise, Dongho began to yelp in a different voice, each time a little higher. Minhyuns groans were quiet and low with small chuckles sneaking past his mouth here and there in between.

Someone outside had probably heard them by now, they were being lucky. 

“Hwang, h—wang!” The guy reopened his eyes to then squeeze only his left eye shut, hoping it would somehow balance out his nerves going haywire. 

He felt mixed sensations and it was all just so confusing he couldn’t comprehend it yet, but one thing he sure did know, was that he didn’t this to stop. Accordingly, the tallest had noted his every face, every movement, to know when to make a small pause or when to lay down a trail soothing kisses in the boys hair. With Dongho he tried his best.

“Hey, hush.” Minhyun warned him as soon as Donghos next moan had peaked, if someone happened to be standing right outside, then they had definitely heard it all, “You are being loud.” 

But how could he not be when each time he looked down he only saw Minhyun sinking into his body. Dongho could not help, but to bark out a sound. Obviously he was scared someone would hear too, even more than Minhyun, but yet he could not make his vocals go away. That guy had done something weird to his body, he wasn’t ever like this before, so this was all somehow Minhyuns fault.

Noticing those again shut eyes of his, Minhyun began to speak all sweet to him, “Dongho, look here.” He encouraged.

“I can’t.” Dongho refused, fearing to look at his own body right now when he was feeling all so strange.

Minhyun couldn’t agree with that, he found the other man perfect, and right now he was shining a little bit brighter than usual, Dongho had to see it for himself. He took the mans chin and tilted it down, forcing Dongho to look at Minhyun ease into him once more, and then draw back just so Dongho could his own skin drag and tuck.

For some reason his brain had instead of looking away in horror, convicted him to repeat the name of his best friend over and over. 

No, they were not just friends anymore or even friends with benefits, they were definitely lovers now. Dongho was late to realize it, but at least now he was certain. 

“Minhyun— Minhh,” He breathed in a pained voice that made the other man feel numbness wash over his spine. It always sounded so pleasant when Dongho called him by his first name.

With a sudden move, Minhyun had charged him and pushed him over. Dongho now laid his back pressed down on the table all spread out, while Minhyun loomed over him. Dongho had never seen the ceiling of this room from this angle before, blindingly bright row lights shining from straight above made him go dizzy, or perhaps it had been from the fall. Dongho could not lift his head to no longer look, because it kept arching back on its own, when the muscles in his neck pulled tight.

Minhyun could feel himself sweat under the layer of clothes he still had on, trying to breathe properly while swaying his hips so viciously was hard now. Maybe it was just his imagination, but the long desk seemed to shift and creak under his push too.

He pant, “Hey, I am close.” Dongho was too fucked to recognize the mans voice, his brain needed more time to process things and when it did, it did so poorly.

“I love you too.” To him that had seemed like the most appropriate response to give right now. Minhyun blinked quickly, trying to figure out if he had accidentally broken him somehow.

Minhyun began to pull slower in between his faster paced thrusts, even his movements began to feel more gentle compared to just a moment ago, but it didn’t help much to stop Dongho from feeling sore after what had already been done to him.

Soon the shortest didn’t even clench and his body had stopped twitching, the boys body had gone all soft and accepting. 

Minhyun retreated shortly before his release, making a silent groan that spelled out Donghos first name as soon as he was slick out. 

He himself jerked to the beautiful art piece that was Dongho, panting and enticingly pointing his hips up as a way to beg for more. The guy had no idea how shameless his body had become, ignoring the fact that they were doing all of this in public.

Watching him for a second more lead to flowers instantly blooming inside of Minhyuns stomach, and with another raspy breath he had finally met the release. His body went into a state of afterglow, faint pricks of sore muscle pinched him under the skin of his sweaty neck and hips.

Meanwhile, the other man was quick to cry out after losing him, unhappy to suddenly not feel his hot shape anymore. “Minhyun—please.”

Once the guy had let go of holding Donghos both arms above him, he regrettably realized that he had stopped the other from touching himself. The lost heat was already back in Donghos gut burning him from inside, untouched dick helplessly twitching in air trying to grab at something, dripping by itself after being left forgotten for so long. Despite it all, the pressure of a release yanked at his sore muscles.

Minhyun grabbed his dick almost harshly, but the look on the guys face was purely just relief only. The tallest then looked behind himself at the locked door, almost as if he was expecting for someone to come and burst in here already. It instantly triggered Dongho to become more aware and ten times more nervous. In result, his body was starting to stall and hurt.

Armed with a smirk, Minhyun viciously forced him closer and closer to his climax against Donghos best wishes to just stay quiet and wait. Minhyuns hand had greased itself wet, the skin under his fingers made a sloppy sound that got the other embarrassed red.

When pushed past the point of no return, Dongho didn’t know what to do with himself, he felt he might scream, because his stomach was so ready it was starting to clench, and he could not hold a second longer. 

His tummy was pulled tight, dick twitching from the fierce convulsions as he spilled blindly. The boy bit his own fingers at the root of his fingernails to stop himself from making a war cry, while strings of white already spread down to Minhyuns wrist. It felt like he was being teared apart, but in a much pleasant way. While his muscles were pulsating and straining on their own.

After a quick breath, Dongho began to sit up quickly, horrified that they might be on the brink of being found out already. Minhyun tried not to chuckle, it was a serious matter after all, and they might have to pay off the cleaning staff later for what they had done.

Minhyun couldn’t even stop him to give him a kiss, not even a small one. Dongho was in alert mode, “I— I’ll see you at the car!” 

The boy yanked to the floor trying not to look back to see if he had left his sweaty mark on that poor table.

Minhyun didn’t bother to rush with dressing. He joked, “Don’t limp, you will give it away.” Dongho wanted to shriek from shame, quickly unlocking the door and sneaking out ahead by himself.

As soon as that guy was gone, Minhyun would whip out his phone to pass some time, to sit here long enough until it would not be seen as suspicious to have them both exit the conference room at the same time, after they had planted their incriminating DNA evidence.

The tall guy scoffed while subconsciously ending up scrolling through the online profile of Donghos previous female sweetheart. 

She was even prettier than usual in all of her latest photos and Minhyun could clearly see what Dongho had seen in her. Hwang concluded, that maybe for that reason alone, he should ask her to be the one to bring the keys of this room back to the desk.

 

The large sleeping male body that had been taking up the whole bed space, groaned awake from its sleep. The faint winter sun shined through the gaps of the curtain pointing at the two sleepy men hiding under the thick duvet, cuddling together with the back of the shortest pressed to the others chest.

This morning sunshine had surprised Dongho, since he had grown so used to the gray gloomy clouds that veiled the sky day after day. It seemed like the perfect morning, well maybe not fully perfect, because he still hated being up early.

“Good morning, sleepy head.” Minhyun bounced awake beside Dongho, annoying him on purpose, just so the guy wouldn’t be able to wander into sleeping again. That punk had been pretending to be asleep this whole time in order to fulfill his evil wish of big spooning Dongho in his sleep.

How did it ever come this far, Dongho had to remind himself of how he had originally moved out to the capital to chase a new life, make good money and see new people, perhaps even fall in love. It wasn’t all that bad, because at least he did find one of those things, and that was good enough for him, maybe the other things were just not meant to be.

This was new for Minhyun too, he was clueless about his future, but at the same time he was being foolishly brave. He had nothing really to hold on to where he was, nothing had mattered to him, other than this silly crush he had developed for his loser male friend.

“Ugh, why are you up?” Dongho whined, it wasn’t like the guy had anywhere to be now that they had quit their jobs together. Kang saw these few extra days as his own personal vacation. Minhyun saw it as a window of preparation for what could perhaps be their perfect new life, one where he wouldn’t just be okay, but one where he would be happy, with Dongho.

“Hey, Kang?” Minhyun rolled to sit on his elbows, hands posing under his chin. “Hm?” The other man yawned.

“Is this a dream?” Minhyun couldn’t stop grinning at his friend, the guy he loved sleeping naked in his bed. A scene like this could have existed only in the mans sweetest dreams, but now it was a reality.

Dongho began to chuckle unsure if the other guy was serious or not. He was flattered regardless, “What makes you say that?”

Minhyun began to sit up from his elbows, his face making a sly grin, the guy wasn’t going to tell, deciding not to boost the guys ego and make him any more spoiled by his friend than he already was.

“Come help me clean up and stop being so useless.” Minhyun pretended to insult the sleeping mass, which soon raised from its nest of pillows to prove its worth, despite the whines.

 

Recently, Dongho had noticed Minhyun smiling at him a lot more these days, and it wasn’t that fake pity laugh he always did, just to keep every situation from being awkward. He thought to himself, maybe this was somehow his doing – but it couldn’t be, he told himself, he wasn’t even doing that much. Instead he was probably causing a lot more hassle just by being around, which was initially true, but unknown to him, Minhyun had learned to love every minute of it.

Dongho would later join him in cleaning out the living room, not that it was already annoyingly tidy, but now that Minhyun was thinking about moving away, he started to see things in his house in a different perspective. Like things that had little value, but were still kept around for purpose of clutter.

The new recruit itched his scruffy chin looking at the boxes that all had different labels on them, each label in a different differentiating color that only made the poor guy more confused, because he was not too clever. For the most part everything in the living room area was starting to get sorted, Minhyun just needed a second opinion on throwing out some stuff he still couldn’t decide on.

But there was one thing that had not been mentioned. The big elephant in the room that Dongho had been scared of bringing up till now and it seemed like Minhyun had somehow forgotten about it too.

The pictures on the wall that were a memorial dedicated Minhyuns late classmates always cast an eerie shadow over the rest of the bright room, even just merely glancing at the portraits, already bought up a the emotions of sadness and longing. Dongho stared at those for long enough to get Minhyun to peek at that direction.

“Ah, that.” He paused, slowly straightening his back and stand idle thinking what about what to do too. 

“Should I take it down?” Minhyuns words surprised the other, he had not expected the man would ever agree. “Huh, why?” Dongho looked dumbfounded when Minhyun replied with a shrug. 

“Are you—ready to move on from it?” The shortest tried to speak as delicate as he could, his still bad attempt made Hwang snicker.

“Yeah, I think so.” Minhyun looked to his friend and then back at the photos. The look on his friends face was somewhat actually helping him to decide.

Minhyun had figured out he wouldn’t even miss the photos too much, it was not the pictures themselves that he was so attached to, but the moments and memories made in them. And even without the pictures there to remind him each day, it wasn’t like he would ever forget those much happier times.

“You don’t have to if you don’t want to!” Dongho immediately jumped to protect Minhyun, it was cute watching him freak out over something so seemingly silly, yet it was moving at the same time.

Minhyun assumed that nobody else would be able to understand what these photos had meant to him over the years, but Dongho was trying to. Dongho was kind.

“I think it would be better for me if I did, for us.” He reassured his nervous friend and a faint smile reappeared on Donghos face.

Minhyun walked to the wall without hesitation, before his friend would come to bug him once more. “Do you want me to take them down for you?” Dongho spoke gently, predicting it might be hard for Minhyun to take them off after they had been there for so long.

“Ah, Dongho seriously.” He laughed over all this nagging, and then was quick to shrug, “Nah, I can do it.” The male kneeled his one leg over the couch to get this ordeal it, but regardless, Dongho still rushed to help. 

Minhyun didn’t really mind him too much, as long as Dongho was careful with the pictures, one by one collecting them into his palm, like they meant precious to him too. But of course, every picture had its own story to tell.

“What do you think of this?” Minhyun flashed his finger at the one Dongho had kept in his hand, lingering at it for a bit longer than all the others.

“Uhh, it’s you in front of your old school?” Dongho made a anxious answer, it made Minhyun grin from the joy if his boyfriend acting so needlessly cautious.

“Well then,” Minhyun made his neck longer and his Adams apple pop out proud, “Do I look any different?”

Dongho took time to foolishly compare the past and the present, but he couldn’t recognize much of a difference. Minhyuns hair had been lighter, but it was still cut the same way hiding the lack of brows under a long fringe. Although he noticed that his face wasn’t as round anymore.

“You’ve grown out of the cheeks.” Dongho concluded that Minhyuns face had gotten slimmer as an adult, but he still was just as good looking regardless the fact. Minhyun chuckled and appreciated it as if it were a compliment, Dongho was doing just his best trying to make him feel flattered.

“Nothing else surprising?” He spoke in a teasing tone. After a brief moment his friend answered again, “Well, you went to a music school. I never seen you as a musical type.”

That made Minhyun think back, “I used to love studying music. I’d compose crappy ballads for fun and always annoy everyone with my constant singing.” He nodded, “I used to think that I’d probably end up doing something music related later in life, maybe be like one of those popular singers they show on TV nowdays.”

The man continued, “Of course my parents wanted me to do something different, work to make a living, not play around. I was still young so I had a lot of time to decide for myself.”

His last sentence trailed off, by the mans current status it was evident that he had never decided his future, and discarded both his dreams and parents ideals to instead live a simple life. A traumatic event had made Minhyun guilty of ever nearing music making again, it reminded him too much of his friends.

“Nowadays I only sing when I’m at the karaoke, and my parents don’t like me more than my siblings too much either, since I never made it to the college of their dreams that they had been preparing me for all my life.” Minhyun laughed to himself and Dongho could only imagine. 

“You don’t talk about your family too much?” Dongho was keen on getting to understand Minhyuns private matters, not that he mind sharing upsetting details about himself anymore. Dongho was his family now.

“Some people just aren’t that close with their parents.” The guy shrugged, making his friend apologetic, “Oh.”

Dongho returned to picking down the photos, his fingers for the second time freezing above one he knew. That missing picture had returned, Minhyun had stuck it on after the shortest had found it.

“Your boyfriend—” He spoke first not trying to avoid the matter of subject, since they had already bought this whole thing up and Dongho figured Minhyun would be fine discussing it.

The tallest chuckled at his very serious expression, “Yeah?” Dongho flinched realizing he might of sounded a bit weird and corrected his words, “Were you two together since early on?”

Minhyun didn’t have to think a lot, “Nah, it was kinda spontaneous and out of nowhere, like one of those small puppy crushes you’d get for your best friend, except we just somehow rolled with it.”

“The other two friends of ours were weirded out at first, but then they realized it didn’t change tgat much, aside from them changing by becoming even more annoying to both of us.” The guy took the picture off the wall, handing it for Dongho to put it away for him this time.

“My eldest sibling had an argument with me one day and in the heat of the moment decided to spill it to my parents, so that was the end of that.” He concluded. 

The tall male returned to grinning at the photos that were still stray on the wall, trying to preserve those short happy moments he once had for a bit longer, before taking them down. It felt hard putting those smiling faces away into a sealed box to sit under a dark lid. But it was almost as difficult as to say goodbye.

“You know,” Minhyun began to make himself sound happy again instead, “I wish I could introduce you to them, I’m sure they would like you.” 

Dongho nodded, “I’d definitely like them too.”

 

Day after day, Dongho adored Minhyun always being so pretty in his sleep. It was something you start noticing once you spend enough time watching someone, Dongho had theorized. He did find Minhyun attractive long before this, but in these past few he had been looking actually angelic for some reason.

The guy realized he had been awake for five full minutes just staring at the boy an inch away from their noses rubbing against one another. He sat up in hurry, as if realizing that what he was doing was something not right when done in secret.

The guy began to chant in his head, about how much he just wanted to be able to hold Minhyuns hand. It was a burning urge he could not suppress for any longer, it was all he could think of. But his friend was asleep, and he hated to wake him up just to fulfill his perverted need.

Would it be messed up to do it without asking, the guy spoke to himself, fiercely trying to decide if sneaking such selfish touches would be a sin.

His train of thought jumped right off its tracks as soon as a buzz of the phone went off in a place somewhere under a pillow. Dongho became gloomy when trying to guess if it could have been one of Minhyuns other friends calling him.

He didn’t want Minhyun to see the crowds he was so used to mingling with anymore, the same people who had been calling the guy out only to take harming substances and then hook up with him. Maybe he was just being overprotective, perhaps even jealous, but right now Kang wanted his friend to himself, forever keeping him safe.

Speaking of Minhyuns contacts, that strange guy Dongho had once seen angry, drunk and kicking at Minhyuns apartment door keeps coming back from time to time, but as seen as he sees Dongho at the door, he always runs off.

It could’ve been him sending Minhyun that text, and the idea of that made Dongho livid. Yet there was only one way to confirm his suspicion, and that was to glance at the Hwangs phone. 

These days the short male couldn’t help himself but to sneak a peek at Minhyuns texts from time to time, or pretty much whenever the phone buzzed by itself somewhere unattended.

He knew it was wrong of him to read those messages, but he had been so disgustingly jealous these days. Minhyun had so many ex-boyfriends saved to his phone, all asking him if they want to meet up again and fuck. How could he not feel insecure and scared of them hurting his best friend.

To be fair, Minhyun never answered to those texts, and if he ever did, it was only to tell them to shut up and leave him alone. But the thought of Minhyun being in the arms of someone else, even in the past tense, still made Dongho feel bad. 

He told himself that he would only keep reading them to make sure those men won’t hurt Minhyun again, and just by reading all the one sided filthy text exchanges made him ill to his stomach. They made Minhyun out to be some kind of an object purely for them to toy around with, even lesser than a person. Minhyun wasn’t like that, he was lovely and deserved so much more than all that.

After twitching his nostrils in his sleep for a while, Minhyun began to blink his eyelashes wide open, “Oh, you are awake?” He acted surprised, like seeing the other guy up earlier than him was something abnormal. 

“Ah, yeah. Mornin’.” Dongho mumbled something, hiding the cell that he was just about to peer at beneath his palms, still visible in plain sight.

This guy really thought Minhyun had no clue that he had been reading those text messages. There was no way Minhyun would ever open any unread chat logs from his exes, but out of no where all of them always ended up appearing at the top of his message list, already marked as read by him. 

This guy was absolutely dense, but that was his cutest part. Minhyun absolutely adored his clueless best friend, he was quite unlike anyone Minhyun had ever met. Either way Hwang couldn’t care less about what Dongho saw on his phone, he had no secrets left to hide.

“Hng. I want to sleep some more.” Minhyun stretched in bed. Dongho didn’t dare to mention how they’ve been sleeping like this for days on end already, not doing anything else.

At least Kang had an excuse, blaming it on the weather, and not the fact that he was unwilling to yet admit that the only reason of him staying indoors, was just so he’d be able to cuddle with Minhyun all day long. Because of knowing how annoying the tall boy would react once he figured that out.

“Hey, Minhyun.” Dongho had to ask before seeing his friend drift off to sleep again. “Yup?” Minhyun had already shut his eyelids low.

Dongho clicked his tongue after a long nerve-wrecking pause, “Can I sleep on your lap?” He asked carefully, as if his voice could somehow shatter something in the room if it was any louder.

Minhyun had snort, “My lap? You don’t have to ask to do it.” He invitingly patted his own thigh.

“I just don’t want to scare you once you wake up with me on top.” Dongho voiced his concern, imagining Minhyun as someone squeamish and delicate even thought the guy was far from it. 

“If you don’t realize its me, you might hit me.” He said more. Minhyun grimaced at his friend acting so needlessly cautious, in fact he had been like that for days. It was almost like Dongho had a crush on him or something.

“Don’t flatter yourself, you are less scarier than a teacup ride at an amusement park.” Minhyun pulled Dongho forward at his wide grin.

The tall male was wearing nothing but just briefs in bed, his thighs laid out like pillows for Dongho to hug and rest on, so once welcomed, he did. The guy fell asleep his cheek pressed against the surface of Minhyuns warm comfy thigh.

The tallest twitched his muscle on purpose to shake his partner right back up, evil grin on his face. Dongho scrolled his eyes up at the man, and then while looking at him with those big staring eyes, drew his lips into a peck pressing into the ticklish skin of Hwang as payback.

“Ah!” Minhyun screamed and laughed at the same time, cursing at his friend for tickling him, and began to tickle the other back, until the two would get so exhausted, they were back to cuddles and kisses under the sheets, skipping out on eating breakfast on time.

 

How did he end up ever liking this guy, Minhyun seriously had no clue. What’s even more impressive is that he had somehow managed to like Dongho even more after a while, just when he had thought that he might actually get over him. And regretfully, the same could be said for the other jerk too, Dongho was falling for him, if he had not already.

“So, are we there yet?” The tallest yawned inside of Donghos car, annoying his driver.

The weather had gotten so cold that the two had to wear mittens and winter caps inside of their vehicle, their breaths visible floating in the air. The car was shaking on the bumpy road, a coat of snow and ice made roads difficult to traverse.

They had driven a distance, even gone on a ferry for a bit to get this far away from the city they had grown so used to. Now they were on a lonely country road, snow covered fields and meadows remained as the only scenery they could see this far out, stretching as far as the eye could see. They rarely even saw other cars.

The frostbitten hands of Dongho were clenching the wheel, “You keep asking me that just to annoy me at this point?”

“Yep, its fun.” Minhyun didn’t even bother to deny it. Dongho groaned to himself, “You know, that is very typical of you Hwang.”

Minhyun grinned for a bit and then went right back to being bored, there was nothing out here to even look at, not even tall houses in the distance. He sighed, “Can’t we just stop the car and drive off to the side of the road for a bit?”

“What, why?” Dongho jolted, barely pulling himself away from looking at the road ahead and to flash his eyes at Minhyun instead. 

From the corner of his socket, he watched the other man glance back, “There is still room in the back.” This was followed by a dirty smirk and a wink, it was some kind of a vile implication.

Donghos eyes went all wide and afraid, his reactions were always so funny, “Minhyun—” He blushed. That prick was starting to test him now, in every way possible, he was here to make this car ride hell.

Minhyun leaned backwards with a proud smile, adoring his boyfriend from a further distance. The big guy was as red as a tomato, eyes darting from place to place all over his dashboard trying to collect his thoughts. But why was he being so shy for, its not like they were strangers to doing things together in this very same car.

After a window of silence, and many things left unsaid, Minhyun barked up, “Hey, you love me or what?”

This was sudden and out of nowhere, but Minhyun sounded so scary and demanding about it. Even though Dongho had already told him that he loved Minhyun a million times already, the tallest still wanted to hear it again and again. He just really liked that specific string of words coming right out of Kangs mouth for some reason.

The dark brows on Donghos forehead sank low, “Are you a moron?” He sounded pissed off, this caused Minhyun to break into a full on laughing fit.

“What’s with the insults Dongho? You’re so defensive.” He tried to stop himself from snickering, but it was not possible, not when Dongho looked like a threatened pufferfish.

Dongho sighed, tired of having to say it again, “It’s because you are an idiot.”

The jerk had stopped his giggle, but every now and then his shoulders still jumped, each time he was holding himself from having yet another laugh, “What did I even do?” Minhyun wanted to defend his honor.

Dongho lowered his head, hiding his neck, as if this way he could prevent the skies from hearing his embarrassed confession, “You made me start liking you— and stuff.”

Minhyun laughed loud, bending his neck all the way backwards before yanking right back for another snarky comment, “Really?”

Dongho wouldn’t answer, but Minhyun wouldn’t give up, “When did you start liking me back?” 

The shortest kept his shy eyes at the front of the car, avoiding Minhyun at all costs, “I dunno, somewhere in between I guess.”

Minhyun wasn’t going to back down so easy now, he shifted in his seat, his winter jacket twisting and stretching behind waist, “Was it before or after you proposed we move away together?”

Dongho didn’t answer, but he was acting suspicious, “Or maybe after that, when the of us—" Minhyun was rudely interrupted.

“Ah, don’t guess!” The driver whined, causing Minhyun to have another chuckle by himself, “You don’t like me guessing?”

“Yeah, its personal.” Dongho mumbled under his red nose.

 

Somewhere in-between that long ride Minhyun had managed to doze off, woken later by Donghos faint voice. The scenery outside had changed, houses and small shops lined the streets of a small town, their new home.

Minhyun didn’t have the time to appreciate it for too long, when interrupted by hearing his driver continiousy mumbling to himself.

“I don’t think I even liked her.” Dongho had come to that revelation real time, after a long one sided rant.

“Huh?” Minhyun sharpened his ears to hear the late confession. He instantly became annoyed knowing that Dongho could have put him through all of that dating advice hassle, only to now admit that he didn’t even like her.

Dongho realized his boyfriends angry look, and went to save himself, “Its because, I feel better with you, way better that I did ever feel about her.” He looked back at Minhyun with this determined look, that instantly melted into a pink puddle when meeting the pretty eyes with his love interest.

He continued to say things that made himself and Minhyun both blush, “It’s scary to think I could have missed out.”

Inside Minhyun could literally feel his heart explode, blow to a million pieces. His face did its best to remained static and not give too much away, but as a dead giveaway, he had started to chew on his lip,“Dongho, I—”

“Am I being too corny?” Dongho chuckled, covering his ears from embarrassment, while the car had stopped at an intersection to let others on the icy road slowly pass.

Minhyun started off with showing just a small grin, but it grew into a wide smile soon, “No I just— feel so happy hearing you say that.”

Busy smiling back at him, Dongho had gotten too carried away to notice that the road was long clear by now. In a rush he gripped his sore, peeled fingernails into the skin of the wheel and started driving again. The guy was being so blatant about his crush now, Minhyun continued to giggle.

Soon enough the car once again began to slow, and the engine was finally shut down. Dongho needed to take a big deep breath before announcing the start of this new chapter in their lives, that they would from this point on spend together.

“We are here.” Dongho spoke, luring Minhyun to lean to the window. The neighborhood didn’t look like anything too fancy, but it was what they could afford for now. And Minhyun was satisfied with anything regardless.

However, there was definitely some doubt and uncertainty in Minhyuns face, Dongho wished to wipe it off for him and make all of that worry go away, if he could. The man unbuckled his seatbelt to arch across the front seats and kiss the other.

The lips of the tallest had been frozen dry and stiff, but Dongho still liked it, to him it was warm and good enough. Minhyun raised his hand, losing it in the back of Donghos dark curls, twirling his fingers to bring him even closer.

It felt like if they continued like this, then the car would actually heat up, the windows fog. Dongho cautiously pulled away first, panting and wiping his now wet mouth before his droll could have the chance to freeze over.

“Ah, we have to meet the landlord, they have been waiting for us.” Dongho threw out his own excuse, but the red sign streaked across his cheeks had lead Minhyun to believe his reasoning had been different.

The guy rushed to unlock everything to step out first, until Minhyun stopped him last second with something important to share, “Dongho, thank you.”

The other guy endlessly blinked his big staring cat eyes, that confession had come out of nowhere, “For what?”

Minhyun humbled himself, “For helping me. No, for saving me.” He looked down at Donghos pale freezing hands while speaking, “I had been real hopeless these days and you appeared just in time.”

The other guy was at a loss of words, he was proud, but at the same time he felt he had not done much, and not nearly enough. To get here, he had hurt Minhyun many times, and it was something he would always be ashamed of. He was still trying to make up for it.

Dongho chuckled, trying to brighten this situation with one of his many pretty smiles, “Hey don’t give me all the credit, we saved each other, you know?”

Minhyun disagreed, he didn’t believe that he himself had done too much for Dongho to even deserve all this love. Hell, even his dating tips had been purposely awful. Even if Minhyun had taught Dongho to gain courage and not be insecure, going as far as helping him seek out the woman he had liked, the guy had still achieved all of that entirely by himself. Minhyun had been nothing, but a bigmouthed guy with fancy words.

“Sure.” Minhyun fake laughed, pretending to agree and not call him a big dummy again, to let Dongho feel proud just this once.

Now full of excitement, Dongho unlocked both of their doors for them to finally hop out, “Let’s get going then.”

The boys walked to what would soon become their new home, it would be a small flat on the second floor of a two story building, a short drive distance away from the frozen beach. Dongho had told that the trees here would blossom in the spring, Minhyun couldn’t wait to stick around for long enough to be able to see it.

**Author's Note:**

> . ...- . -. / .-- .... . -. / - .... .. -. --. ... / --. . - / --- ...- . .-. .-- .... . .-.. -- .. -. --. --..-- / .--- ..- ... - / .... --- .-.. -.. / --- -. - --- / - .... . / .... --- .--. . / - .... .- - / -.-. .... .- -. --. . / .. ... / .--. --- ... ... .. -... .-.. . .-.-.- .. / .-.. --- ...- . / -.-- --- ..- .-.-.- - .- -.- . / -.-. .- .-. . .-.-.-


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